Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 4: Air
by MasterFirebender84
Summary: Avatar Aang has defeated Fire Lord Ozai and brought an end to the Hundred Years' War. The future looks bright...or so it seems. Ten years after The War, a new foe arises to threaten the peace. Will the Gaang be able to stop this darkness? Rated T-violence
1. Prologue: A New Beginning

Hello, everyone. :) After reading a fanfic on Avatar Wiki by User FrodoTheHutt, I was inspired to write a fanfic of my own. I love this show so much, and it gave me great pleasure to write this. I wrote this prologue as a way of portraying my thoughts as to what happened after Aang and Katara's epic kiss in the finale. Everytime I saw that scene, it nearly brought a tear to my eye it was so beautiful. :) That being said, I am a major Kataang fan and dislike Zutara with a passion. I have no problem with fans who are for Zutara, but the idea of Zutara is one I cannot accept. So if you're a big Zutarian, this is not the read for you. :P

I already have seven chapters written up and am currently working on Chapter Eight. So read and enjoy, my fellow fans! Your reviews and comments are always appreciated.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Ryu, the main villain of my series.

**Prologue: A New Beginning**

Aang and Katara remained locked in their passionate kiss for what seemed like an eternity as the orange sun set over the Earth Kingdom Capital of Ba Sing Se. There seemed to be a blissful peace in the air that the world had not experienced in 100 years of war with the Fire Nation. After a long while, Aang and Katara separated themselves from their kiss and stood holding each other in their arms as they watched the setting sun.

After a brief pause, Aang said, "Things are going to be different from now on, aren't they?" So much had changed in the world over the course of one year, from the return of the Avatar to the defeat of the Fire Nation. Peace had finally returned to the world after a century long respite, and the future seemed bright indeed.

"Yes, they are," said Katara, "and I'm going to be there by your side to see it all happen. Getting the world back to the way it was isn't going to be easy, but I have faith in you. You saved the world from the Fire Nation; now you're going to work with Zuko to restore balance to the world. After all, who better to restore peace than the Avatar and the new Fire Lord?" She then looked to Aang and smiled warmly at him, feeling happier than she had ever been in her whole life now that she was with the one who truly cared for her. She was so proud of him, having grown up from the little, goofy, oddball kid she and Sokka had found frozen in an iceberg a year ago to the powerful and fully-realized Avatar who saved the world from a fiery end at the hands of the Fire Nation.

Aang returned the look and blushed. Then they lightly kissed each other on the lips. After they had kissed, Aang asked, "Do you think we should tell the others about us? I figured now would be a good time to tell them since everyone is gathered here." He looked into Katara's eyes, waiting for an answer while she thought over the idea in her head.

After a long silence, she said, "Yes, I think we should tell them. After all, since we're finally together and the war is over, what's to stop us from doing so?" She smiled once again at Aang, letting nothing but the most pure of positive emotions flow between them. After all they had been through together, how hard could it be to announce to everyone that they had finally come together as a romantic couple?

Aang chuckled and said, "Yeah. The only thing that would stop us would be another war." But after seeing the stern look on Katara's face, he quickly said, "Hey, I was just kidding. Lighten up will you?" He smiled, for he knew his teasing always made Katara happy.

Katara laughed and said, "Oh, you're telling me to lighten up? Remember when we were at the invasion rendezvous point four days ahead of schedule and you were so stressed out about fighting Fire Lord Ozai you had nightmares and you couldn't sleep at all? You should take your own advice every once in a while." She smiled again at Aang, feeling the warm summer air drifting around them as they held each other.

Aang then said with a sigh, "I guess you're right. But it was because of the invasion that I showed my true feelings for you when I kissed you." Both of them blushed, fondly remembering that day when everything between them changed with that one kiss. "But enough standing out here, let's go tell them!" Aang then walked inside with Katara, hand in hand. The evening sun glinted off of Katara's light green kimono, magnifying her beauty ten fold. Aang had never felt happier in his entire life than he was at that moment. Everything was indeed going to change, and hopefully for the better. He had fought so hard and suffered so much to end the war, and he was determined to make the world a better place, not only for the people of the world but also for his friends and Katara.

Inside of the Jasmine Dragon was the rest of the gang. They were all still standing around Sokka and his "painting" of them, teasing him about how each of them was comically portrayed in his art. No one had seemed to notice that Aang and Katara had gone outside until they had come back in. Actually, Toph was the first to notice because she could sense them walking back in. As she turned in their direction, Aang and Katara let go of each other's hand. She finished turning to them and said, "Hey, Twinkle Toes and Sugar Queen. Where have you two been?" Then she jokingly added, "I thought you guys would want to stick around and tell Sokka what a great job he did painting all of us. I mean it's the best thing I've ever laid eyes on!"

The young Water Tribe warrior, beaming with pride, said, "Thank you, Toph. It's nice to know that someone-" but he stopped when he remembered the fact that Toph was blind and he said critically, "Do you really feel the need to do that all the time? I mean it's hard enough to get compliments around here without you pulling stuff like that." But everyone else was too busy laughing to notice his reaction to Toph's comment.

Suki, standing nearby, said, "Well I think it looks wonderful Sokka. You're truly a budding artist as well as a brave and resourceful warrior." She and Sokka locked eyes as an affectionate understanding passed silently between them.

Katara and Aang looked at each other in a similar fashion, indicating that it was time for their announcement. Aang cleared his throat to get everyone's attention and said, "Katara and I have an announcement to make." There was a tense yet excited atmosphere as the inquisitive faces of Sokka, Suki, Toph, Zuko, Mai, and Iroh looked at the Avatar and the Waterbender. Even Appa and Momo seemed to look on the scene in eager anticipation. Finally, Aang said, "Katara and I have decided to start a relationship." As he said this he reached over and took hold of Katara's hand, causing her to blush. "We decided, more or less, to wait until the end of the war to do this because we weren't sure about how things would turn out." He looked over at Katara with a smile on his face, and she returned the look. He then he looked back to his audience and said, "But now that the world is in peace again and things have calmed down a bit, we decided it was time for us to be together."

After the announcement everyone except Sokka had joyous smiles on their faces. Even Mai seemed to have a slight hint of a grin on her face. Sokka, with a dumbfounded look on his face, was stunned at the revelation and blurted out, "Wait- so what you're saying is that my sister is the Avatar's girlfriend now?"

"That's exactly what he means to say, you blockhead. How long did it take you to figure that out?" said Mai bluntly, who was next to Zuko. Zuko looked down at his sometimes-gloomy girlfriend with a smile on his face.

"Yeah," Toph chipped in, "I pretty much knew that they liked each other for a while now. I could sense it anytime they were near each other, especially after the invasion." Sokka then looked at Toph with an expression of disbelief. What could have possibly happened at the invasion that led to what he was seeing in front of him right now? But the blind Earthbender's face betrayed nothing to the Water Tribe Warrior, and his irritation at his ignorance grew to a fever pitch.

"Well, why didn't you say anything?" irritably asked a blushing Sokka, trying to make up for his embarrassment. He felt responsible for whatever happened to Katara, and the fact that he knew nothing about the feelings of affection that had developed between her and his best friend infuriated him to no end.

"Hey, I didn't want to spoil the surprise," Toph countered defensively. "Plus, they both seemed unsure of what to do concerning a romantic relationship during the time after the invasion and before Sozin's Comet. I look out for my friends, except not in this case for you, Sokka, and because you were too involved with your own girlfriend to even notice what was happening with your little sister. You brought this upon yourself." laughed Toph as she shrugged her shoulders. Sokka's face was still bright red as he fumed at the blind Earthbender.

After the joking was over, all the girls went to congratulate Katara and all the men went over to do the same with Aang. The girls hugged Katara while the men clapped Aang on the back. They were all so happy and ecstatic at the news that even Mai seemed brighter than usual.

"Seriously man, congratulations. You two will make a great couple." said Sokka proudly, having finally composed himself. "Always knew you were a ladies' man," he jokingly added as he gave the Avatar a friendly noogie on his bald head. Zuko stood nearby with a smile on his half-scarred face as he patted Aang on the back.

Toph said gleefully to Katara, "I knew you two would end up together!" Suki gave Katara a hug while Mai stood off at a distance, a slight smile on her face. Both Aang and Katara were blushing bright red around this time.

Iroh just stood where he was and smiled, glad to see that something good had been born out of the end of this horrible war. It warmed his old heart to see young love in such a beautiful bloom like that of the white dragon bush, and he knew that they would have a good future together. For he knew that today was the start of a new beginning for all of them, and whatever the future had in store for them, they would face it all together.

* * *

><p>During the following week, the gang enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation. Aang spent most of his time with Katara, conversing affectionately with her. Sokka spent most of his time with Suki, and the same was true for Zuko and Mai. Toph spent most of her time practicing her Earthbending and relaxing at the tea shop. Iroh did just as he said he would do after the war; tend his tea shop and play Pai Sho every night. In the evenings, they all gathered for parties and fun times.<p>

The day of the gang's departure finally came, and Aang was fast asleep in his room while Appa and Momo slept in the spare warehouse just behind the tea shop. Since it was still early morning and the sun had not risen yet, it gave the room a dark and foreboding atmosphere to it. But this darkness was disrupted when the door to Aang's room opened, light streaming in, and a figure slipped in and closed the door, cutting off the light again. The dark figure made its way over to Aang's bedside and, reaching out a hand, shook him awake. Aang was up in an instant and, looking upon the visitor, smiled at Katara. "Good morning," he said quietly. She said the same in return and kissed him lightly upon the lips, reaffirming again that now they were together and that nothing was ever going to separate them again. She crawled into the bed with him, and they lay facing each other.

"Today's the day," she said softly "the day we all split up. Are you ready for it?" She looked upon Aang's face with the gentleness and kindness that he had come to love ever since he met her. Aang loved everything about her, including her kind and loving nature as well as her fierce compassion and magnificent Waterbending abilities. In his eyes, she had grown up as much as he did in the one year that they traveled the world together during the war.

"As long as I'm with you, I'm ready for anything." replied Aang. They smiled at one another and gave each other a hug. As they separated, he said, "It's going to be weird at first not seeing everyone everyday like we're used to, but we all have our own paths to follow, and I know that mine is with you." Katara blushed fiercely but still smiled sweetly all the same. Aang and Katara laid in each others arms for a long time, silently enjoying each other's company while waiting for the morning sun to peek over the horizon.

"You know, Aang," said Katara thoughtfully, "the day Sokka and I left the Southern Water Tribe to go rescue you from Zuko after you had surrendered yourself, my Gran Gran came by to see us off. She said that since you were the Avatar and we had discovered you, our destinies were intertwined with yours. But only now do I realize how much closer my destiny is intertwined with yours, Aang. Maybe we were meant to be together." After she finished talking she was quiet, letting Aang process what she had said. Her blue eyes shined in the dark, providing a faint light for Aang to focus on as he thought.

After a while, Aang said, "I think you're right Katara. Maybe we are meant to be together. We've been through so much together and suffered and learned so much during our travels. I grew to care about you not only as a friend, but also on a more personal level. I had tried a couple of times to tell you how I had felt about you, but every time I just couldn't do it or I was interrupted by something. But on the day of the invasion, the thought of me not coming back to you gave me the courage to kiss you so I could reveal my true feelings. While I was fighting with Fire Lord Ozai during Sozin's Comet, I thought about you and how I had to win so I could come back and we could be together. When I was losing in my Energybending battle with Ozai, I realized that I had to win at all costs so I could return to you. You gave me the strength to prevail against Ozai and save the world. You're the reason why I'm still alive, even after what happened in the catacombs with Azula." At this, Katara blushed and her heart started fluttering like she had never experienced before.

Aang sighed contentedly and said, "You are special to me like no one else has ever been in my entire life, and I knew it from the moment when I first saw your face. You always know how to make me feel better and give me encouragement when I'm feeling down. You make everything seem so right when it seems the whole world is against me. You are my resolute light in this swirling vortex of darkness and confusion. Perhaps it was fate that brought us together, but I believe that we were destined to be together." He leaned in closer to her and said, "I love you Katara." He then kissed her lightly on the lips. But after the kiss, Katara seemed to have a sad and guilty look on her face.

"What's wrong?" asked Aang with a look of concern on his young face. He suddenly gasped, causing Katara to jump slightly. "Don't tell me that you've fallen for Zuko," he whispered in mock horror with widened eyes, as if what he was saying was a fate worse than death itself. Katara realized that Aang was only joking, and she burst out laughing. She muffled her laugh with a hand over her mouth, her body rattling with the force of her merriment. Aang smiled, for he knew his trick had worked in cheering up Katara.

After her laughing fit was over, she happily said, "No, Aang, I haven't fallen for Zuko." She raised an eyebrow inquisitively and asked, "What on earth made you think that I ever had feelings for Zuko? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?" Aang's only answer was a sheepish grin and innocent shrug. She smiled at him, for her Aang could still that mischievous little boy she had first met just over a year ago. But her sad look returned to her face, and Aang's face became full of concern once more. The Avatar could tell that she had something on her mind, something that had been eating away at her for a long time.

"I…have a confession to make, Aang," she said. "While we did become the best of friends on our travels together around the world, something changed inside of me as well. As our journey continued, I began seeing you in a different light." She sighed shakily and said, "I guess at the time I had started developing feelings for you, but I was too afraid to say anything to you." Aang's heart suddenly skipped a beat, for he had no idea before the invasion that she felt the same way about him as he did her. "But after Azula shot you down in the catacombs," continued the Waterbender, "I barely ate and slept during the few weeks that you were unconscious. I cared for you day and night, and I hardly ever left your side. I knew that I cared about you with all my heart, and I wanted to ensure that you would wake up and come back to me."

She paused as she carefully chose the next words of her confession. "When we were talking outside during the play on Ember Island, I told you that we couldn't have been together at that time because of the war. But I also told you that I was confused." She looked lovingly into Aang's eyes and said, "I wasn't confused about my feelings for you, for I knew that I loved you with all my being. I'm sorry if what I said that night hurt you, but I just…didn't want to lose you." Tears began to appear in her azure eyes as the memories of her concern and worry for Aang during the events of Sozin's Comet came rushing back into her mind. "If we were together before the Comet and you died in your battle with Ozai, it would have been far worse than when my mother died. I never want to experience that type of loss again for as long as I live, for if I did it would destroy me." She tightened her grip on Aang and said, "But now the war is over, and I'm no longer confused. I know what my path in life is now, and that path is with you." She leaned in towards Aang, their lips just inches apart from caressing each other. "I love you too, Aang," whispered the young Waterbender, returning the kiss she had received earlier. They then lay in each other's embrace for another hour, quietly talking about many things before getting out of bed.

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><p>When the time came for their departures, they all found it hard to say good-bye. They had fought so many battles together, suffered so many tragedies, and even saved the world from a doomsday inferno. Now they were going their separate ways, each following their own path. But they all knew that they would see each other again, and that they would all keep in touch with whatever developments come along in their lives.<p>

Toph was the first to speak. "I've decided to head back home and see my parents. It's been months since I last saw them and I think I can patch things up between us." Everyone knew that despite the rocky relationship between Toph and her parents, she still loved them with all of her heart and that she wanted to prove herself to them.

Katara gave Toph a warm hug and said, "Take care of yourself, Toph, and good luck with your parents. Things won't be the same without you around." She smiled at the blind Earthbender, for the little girl had become like a little sister to her over the course of their travels.

Toph smiled and said in reply, "You take care too, Sugar Queen, although you might have your hands full with Twinkle Toes from now on." At this Aang blushed, but he was still smiling at his new girlfriend who was the love of his life. "I'm only kidding, Aang." Putting on a serious demeanor, she said, "But seriously, you treat Katara right or I'll have to hunt you down and straighten you out myself with a thorough rock beating. Is that clear?" As she was saying this, she got up into Aang's face and pointed a threatening finger at him. Katara couldn't help but smile at the sight of this diminutive yet powerful girl stand up against the Avatar.

"Crystal, Toph," said the young Avatar to the blind Earthbender. He knew that Toph was deadly serious, but in his mind he knew that he would never, ever do anything to hurt Katara. He loved her too much to even think of wronging her in any way.

"Mai and I are heading back to the Fire Nation." stated Fire Lord Zuko. "There is still so much for us to do in the effort to restore peace to the world and as relaxing as this vacation has been, I cannot neglect my duty to my nation."

"Not that politics are all that fun anyway. Ugh." said Mai dryly, but she and Zuko shared a small smile between them. Zuko knew that despite the fact that Mai could be gloomy sometimes, she was still fun for him to be around.

Sokka said, "Suki and I are going to head to Kyoshi Island so we can do some more warrior training and see how Ty Lee's doing. Maybe after that we'll track down Master Piandao and fashion myself a new sword and boomerang. And maybe after that we'll head back to the Southern Water Tribe and start rebuilding our village."

"Anywhere else you want to go on your grand tour of the world, O Wise and Powerful Sokka?" said Suki in a mocking tone. But Sokka only smiled at her, and she did the same.

"Katara and I are going to travel the world with Appa and Momo for a while and help out wherever we can," said Aang as drew next to Katara and put an arm around her waist, "as well as spend some time together now that the war is over and we don't have to worry about anyone trying to capture and/or kill us constantly." With this he looked at the Fire Lord with a mock look of seriousness on his face as Katara smiled and leaned against the Airbender's shoulder as she eyed the Firebender as well.

Putting on an offended air, Zuko said, "Hey, that's all in the past now. I'm a different person then I was back then. You all know I've changed for the better." He chuckled and said, "Besides, you didn't think it was fun constantly running for your lives?" At this everyone laughed and the situation was resolved rather happily. "But what about you Uncle? What do you plan on doing?" asked the Fire Lord to the Dragon of the West.

"I will stay in Ba Sing Se and run my tea shop during my retirement," said Iroh in his gravelly voice. "My days of adventuring are behind me now. I'm far too old to be gallivanting around the world anymore, but you are all so young with a bright future ahead of you. I wish for you all to find happiness and love in your lives and to live the rest of your lives in peace with the families you will undoubtedly start up with the person you marry." At this, the three couples looked into the eyes of their partners, possibilities running their young yet hardened minds.

Sokka turned to Aang and Katara and said, "Now while you're on your travels, don't be getting too cozy with one another or I might just have to tell Dad about it. I've got my eye on the two of you." To emphasize his point, he closed his left eye and widened his right eye menacingly at the young couple. Behind him, Suki shook her head at her boyfriend.

Katara rolled her eyes at her older brother and said, "Sokka, nothing like that is going to happen between Aang and me. We're both people of virtue and would never consider doing such a thing that should be saved for after marriage. Am I right Aang?" She looked lovingly into her soul mate's eyes and smiled.

Aang smiled kindly in return and said to Sokka, "She's absolutely right. If it makes you feel any better, I'll personally make you an Avatar promise as well as a promise from a friend that nothing like that is going to happen between Katara and I. You have nothing to fear." He continued staring at Sokka, whose face seemed to relax a bit.

Sokka sighed and said, "I know that you two wouldn't do anything like that, but I guess that's just me being overprotective of my little sister again." He laughed timidly as he rubbed the back of his head, his face blushing. But the blush disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared as the warrior drew himself up and said, "But I'm serious, you two. No shenanigans or a certain big brother will have to get involved." This time both Aang and Katara rolled their eyes, but they knew he was only looking out for them.

After exchanging their final good-byes, Katara, Aang, and Momo left on Appa and Zuko and Mai left by airship. Toph, Sokka, and Suki walked out of Ba Sing Se together and then went their separate ways. During all of this, the retired, old Fire Nation General looked on in contented silence. He knew that this group of youngsters would remain friends for life. With this knowledge in mind, Iroh began humming a familiar tune from his youth and went inside his tea shop to brew up some Jasmine tea.

* * *

><p>Somewhere hidden in a remote cave deep in the wilderness of the Earth Kingdom, a resentful general plotted out his revenge against the new Fire Lord and the Avatar. This man's name was Ryu, a powerful Firebending general in the Fire Nation Army now on the run for war crimes committed against the world. Ryu was a middle-aged man with jet black hair and amber eyes that almost looked as if they were burning with the flames of hatred and revenge. He had long sideburns and a regal goatee that extended three inches from his pointed chin. His face was hard like a rock from engaging in many deadly battles. Some would dare say that Ryu was a handsome individual, but most feared him because of his cold, calculating tactics, and his destructively powerful Firebending abilities. He had led the army into Ba Sing Se shortly after it fell to Princess Azula's coup, and he also led the Fire Nation garrison in the defense of the occupied Earth Kingdom Capital when the Order of the White Lotus liberated Ba Sing Se during Sozin's Comet. When the battle appeared to be lost, Ryu fled the city in order to save himself.<p>

Now an outcast, he began formulating a plan that he was sure would make the Fire Lord and the Avatar experience a great deal of personal suffering and public disgrace. He had no love for either of the two, for they were both responsible for the defeat of the Fire Nation at the end of the war. But he knew his plan would take many years and many followers in order for it to succeed. Ryu was aware of this and was willing to do so, allowing the Avatar and the Fire Lord to fall into a false sense of security before he struck. "Let them have their time of peace," said Ryu with an icy edge in his fiery voice, "and when the time is right I will take from them what they love most and the world will once again be in Fire Nation hands!" Once he had said this, flames erupted from his mouth and hands and went out in jets of scorching fire. The burning light illuminated the cave briefly then died as the flames dissipated. A sinister smile appeared on the cruel face of Ryu; he will have his revenge!


	2. Chapter One: Reunions and Discoveries P1

I'm back again, bringing you more of my epic fanfic story. Here I introduce a new character in order to be able to portray myself within the Avatar Universe. I know I'm a nerd for this show, but if you're reading this chances are good that you are too. :P Read and review to your heart's content, my friends! Hope you like it so far.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, for he is the portrayal of me within the world of Avatar, as well as little Sun Tzu.

**Chapter One: Reunions and Discoveries Part One: Old Friends Return & New Hope**

_10 Years after Sozin's Comet_

"Aang, can you try flying a little more smoothly? It's getting pretty bumpy back here," said Katara, who was sitting in Appa's saddle, to the Avatar clad in his master Airbender robes sitting on top of the bison's head. Katara had grown into a fine young woman but still in her eyes was the spirit of the compassionate yet fierce Waterbender.

"Sorry Katara", said Aang, "but Appa always fly a little bit roughly when he's tired, don't you boy?" Appa let out a low growl as if to agree with the Airbender who was his friend and master. Aang looked back to check on Katara, a goofy smile on his bright face.

"I know Aang, but now he's carrying more than just you and I now, remember?" said Katara while glancing down and putting a hand on her bulging midsection. Katara was about eight months into her pregnancy, but she was still the same Southern Water Tribe girl that Aang had fallen in love with all those years ago and still loved fiercely. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to your child before it's born, right?" she asked him with a smirk on her face. The shaman of their village assured them that the baby wouldn't come until next season and that it was still all right for Katara to travel around for a bit longer.

Blushing, Aang said, "No, and I certainly wouldn't want anything to happen to my lovely wife either. I couldn't stand losing you. You know that." He looked lovingly into her eyes and she smiled at him. Ever since she became pregnant, Aang was constantly watching her and making sure nothing bad happened to her during this critical time in their lives. As much as it annoyed her to be closely watched everyday for months on end, it warmed her heart to know that this was the man who truly cared for her wellbeing.

"I know Aang, and I feel the same way about you," she said to her husband, "because without you, there would be no fun in my life anymore and no one loves me as much as you do dear." Again she smiled at the Avatar, who returned the gesture, feeling the love flowing between their souls. Theirs was a bond that no one could ever truly understand, a bond that could last through any hardship or weather any storm life sends their way. After a while, Katara said, "so did Zuko say in his message why exactly it was so urgent for us to meet him at the Fire Nation Royal Palace on such short notice?"

"No he didn't. The message just said for us to come the Palace right away, that he needed to see me." said the Avatar. "But I'm sure it must be important or otherwise he wouldn't bother us with something trivial. Zuko's a serious man; he wouldn't pull a trick on us just for laughs. I would hope not because he knows the condition that you're currently in." Aang looked back at his wife with concern in his gray eyes.

Katara sighed and said, "Aang, I'm not sick. I'm pregnant with your child…_our _child. I can still take care of myself. You don't have to worry about me so much." said the Waterbender before pulling a blanket over her to keep warm. But she smiled at Aang to ease his concern and reassure him that she was fine.

"I know," Aang replied, "but I can't help but worry about you." He returned the smile to Katara as he felt the wind rush around them. "But it'll be good to see Zuko and Mai after so long. The last time we saw them was at our wedding," said Aang. Both of them blushed at this as they remember that momentous day they came together to live as one for the rest of their lives. They had been united as soul mates years before their marriage, and it would remain that way for the rest of time. Katara had been right all those years ago; they were meant to be together, and this child they were bringing into the world was the culmination of their love for each other. In Aang's mind, he was still giddy with the fact that he was going to be a father soon. He couldn't afford to mess anything up, not for himself, his wife, or his unborn child.

"Hey, I can see the Royal Palace below us now!" cried out the Avatar as he pointed to the ground below them. The imposing towers of the Palace loomed above the Royal Grounds, a silent goliath that has watched over its subjects both in times of peace and prosperity, and in times of war and suffering. But this magnificent structure was mired by its dark past of 100 years of Fire Lords who sought to take the world under their control through military force.

Katara looked down at the Royal Palace's long courtyard, the site where she witnessed a fierce comet-enhanced Agni Kai between Azula and Zuko. It was in this Agni Kai that Zuko was injured protecting Katara from a lightning bolt that had been intended for her. Katara then defeated and captured Azula and healed the wounded Zuko, ensuring that her friend would live on to become Fire Lord and to bring peace back into the world along with the Avatar. Her eyes welled with tears as she remembered the events of that day, how crazy and insane Azula had been and how twisted she had become. But ever since the end of the war, Azula had been locked up just like her demented father with seemingly no chance for her to escape. Katara shuddered to think of what would happen if she were to get out. She didn't think that she could fight her again, especially in her current condition.

Katara then looked out to the great harbor of the Fire Nation and saw a welcome sight; a Water Tribe ship had just pulled into port and was being secured to the dock. "Hey Aang," she said, "it looks like Sokka is here as well. Suki will probably be with him."

Aang smiled and said, "I guess he got the message as well." He then looked down and saw the Palace Gardens below them. He spotted a couple of figures walking down the little stone path that ran beside the little pond, full of lively turtle-ducks, situated in the garden. "Look Katara. It's Zuko and Mai! Come on Appa, yip yip!" The mighty bison let out a friendly growl as he descended into the garden.

* * *

><p>The Fire Lord and the Fire Lady were walking through the scenic garden, arm in arm. Today was a typical day for the new Fire Nation; full of peace and serene quiet. Zuko had never felt such tranquil peace during the war. In the early years after the war, there was so much for the young Fire Lord to do. He had to set up trials in order to punish his generals who had refused to lay down their arms and cease fighting. His early years as Fire Lord were also spent hunting down fleeing rebels with the Avatar and his friends. Despite all his best efforts, there was still one general that had evaded him longer than all the others and he had not been seen in ten years. But the Fire Lord reassured himself that he would be caught eventually and brought to justice for his war crimes. But he put such thoughts at the back of his mind, for today he was spending time with his wife Mai. They looked into each other's eyes lovingly as they walked down the garden path.<p>

From seemingly out of nowhere came a small voice, "Hey Daddy! Mommy! Look at this new Firebending technique Master Jeong Jeong taught me!" Running in from the courtyard was Prince Sun Tzu, Zuko and Mai's five year old son. He had jet black hair and amber eyes. He, like his aunt Azula and grandfather Azulon, was a Firebending prodigy. Zuko had requested for Jeong Jeong to teach his son Firebending when he was old enough, to which the old master agreed to do. Sun Tzu took his stance, drew in a deep breath, and punched with his right hand which produced a burning fireball. He then added a spinning frontal kick and a horizontal wave of flame burst to life in front of the young Prince. He then spun around, cupping his hands together as if to create the mouth of a dragon, and shot out a long stream of flame from in between his hands. Once he was finished, he looked to his parents for their approval with a big smile on his innocent face.

Mai was the first to comment. "Sun Tzu, that was spectacular! Your skills are improving greatly, dear. You'll become a great Firebending master someday, just like your father." She looked to her husband, as if to indicate to him to comment on their son's performance.

But the Fire Lord needed no coercing to compliment his son. "Yes my son, you are indeed improving in your skills as a Firebender. The future Fire Lord has to know Firebending. After all, it is the very essence of who we are as the Fire Nation. Learn this, my son; be true to yourself, your family, and to your nation." The young Prince beamed with joy at his father and mother.

Mai then looked to her husband and asked, "Is that one of your Uncle's sayings? I doubt you came up with that on your own." She smiled teasingly at Zuko. She knew that her husband looked up to his Uncle with great admiration and respect, and she could see a part of Iroh in her Zuko.

Zuko's half-scarred face contorted in mock anger and exclaimed, "Of course I came up with it on my own! Do you take me for an ignorant fool or something?" At this the Fire Lady began laughing. "Why is that so funny?" he impatiently asked his wife, who couldn't stop laughing.

But before his mother could reply to his father, Sun Tzu looked up into the sky and a look of wonderment appeared on his young face. "Daddy, look! It's a flying cow with an arrow on it's head! And there is a man riding on top of it!" The young Prince then looked to his father, who had a smile on his face, and asked, "Do you know who it is?" At this point, Appa came in for a landing.

The Fire Lord looked on as the great sky bison landed with elegant grace upon the soft grass of the garden and said "Yes my son. I know exactly who it is." He was looking upon the face of the Avatar, who had a giant goofy grin on his face at the sight of his old friend.

"Greetings Zuko!" Aang exclaimed. "It's been a long time, my friend. And hello to you too, Mai. You all remember Katara, right?" he said while gesturing to his wife in the saddle. Katara waved a hand to greet them from where she sat.

Zuko chuckled and said, "How could I possibly forget about Katara? When I had first joined you ten years ago, she didn't trust me at all. She practically hated my guts." They all looked to Katara for her reaction.

Katara smiled and said in reply, "That was before I grew to accept you after you helped me to find the man who killed my mother." At this, she closed her eyes and touched her mother's necklace that was around her neck, fighting hard to keep her hurt tears from showing as she remembered the horrible pain she had felt when she lost her mother all those years ago. Aang came close to Katara and hugged her, comforting his beautiful wife.

Zuko, seeking to mend the situation, quickly said, "I'm sorry Katara. I didn't mean to say that. Sometimes I just say things that pop into my mind and-" But Katara cut him off mid-sentence.

"It's all right, Zuko." said the Waterbender calmly as she opened her eyes. "I've learned to accept the fact that she's gone. However, her death has helped to make me a stronger person. She will always be a part of me and I will never forget what she did for me." She then looked at Aang and asked if he could help her down off the saddle. Aang jumped off Appa and, bending the air around Katara, floated her down gently onto the ground.

Aang then noticed Sun Tzu staring at them with his jaw hanging open in bewildered astonishment. "Who is this youngster?" he asked Zuko. Zuko had briefly forgotten that his son was still standing there when Appa descended, but now he remembered and made the introductions.

"Aang and Katara, I would like for you to meet our son, Sun Tzu. Son, this is Avatar Aang and his wife Katara." The young Prince then composed himself and bowed in the traditional Fire Nation greeting to the Avatar and the pregnant Waterbender. They bowed back in return.

"Fire Lord Zuko," came a rich, deep voice from the opposite side of the garden, "the rest of your guests have arrived." This man who had spoken was Gregor, Zuko's most loyal general ever since the young Fire Lord's coronation ten years ago. Gregor had quickly moved through the military ranks and became an officer during the war, but he had only fought because the Fire Nation military had drafted him into the service when he was sixteen. After the war was over, he helped Zuko and his allies to hunt down the rebel generals who had refused to surrender. Gregor was a tall, intelligent man with golden eyes and deep black hair, bundled up in the traditional Fire Nation top-knot. His face was clean shaven, but his features projected an image of maturity nonetheless. His red and black armor glistened in the sunlight like sharpened steel. He was a Firebending master who radiated power and self-control at the same time. He was a kind man who could turn deadly fierce in the face of battle. He was like a gentle and majestic dragon who, in the face of adversity, could suddenly strike without warning and with overwhelming firepower.

With him were Sokka and Suki. Sokka still had the same look about him as he did ten years ago; the sarcastic funny guy who always made everyone laugh yet the determined look of a hardened warrior. He had also grown a scruffy goatee to match that look. He had fashioned a new sword and boomerang out the same material as his old space sword, making them deadly weapons. Suki was dressed in her usual Kyoshi warrior outfit, but without the face paint. Her hair had grown much longer, down draping down to her shoulders. She still had the same warrior look in her eyes as she did all those years ago.

When she saw Katara, she gasped and went over to hug the Waterbender. "Katara it's so great to see you! And you're pregnant! I had no idea that this had happened! Oh this is so wonderful! I'm so happy for you and Aang!" she said before going over and hugging the Avatar as well, while also giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek that caused him to blush.

"Yeah, well, let's just hope that it won't be baby time while we're all here at the moment. I don't think I could handle that right now." said the Water Tribe warrior, smiling. He then went over to hug his sister and clasped Aang on the back in a manly greeting.

"Oh you don't think you could handle a baby right now?" laughed Katara. "You're not the one with the bulging stomach. I bet you couldn't handle it at all. You wouldn't last a week in my shoes." The rest of them laughed along with her, their voices echoing through the palace. Even after all of this time, they were still good friends.

As they were laughing, a flying creature blurred into their vision and alighted on Aang's shoulder. "Hey Momo. How's it going, little guy?" he asked the lemur. Momo chattered something in response and cocked his head at the Avatar inquisitively.

Zuko turned to the new arrivals and said, "Sokka and Suki, this is my son Sun Tzu. Son, this is Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe and Suki of Kyoshi Island. Suki is Sokka's girlfriend, and Sokka is Katara's older brother." Sun Tzu bowed in the traditional Fire Nation greeting to them, and they returned the gesture.

"I must say Zuko," said Sokka almost jokingly, "he looks nothing like you. I mean, he doesn't have that whole 'I-must-capture-the-Avatar-to-restore-my-honor' look in his eyes like you used to. Am I right?" Everyone laughed except for Zuko, who was blushing as red as his royal outfit.

"He has a combination of our looks," chimed in Mai, "but he got my intelligence and his Firebending. Am I right to say so, darling?" Everyone looked to Zuko as his face reddened even more.

"Why, uh, yes, Mai…I would agree with you on that, and well, um-" but he was cut off by the sound of Katara's laughter. Everyone, even Aang, looked at Katara in surprise at her.

"Don't tell me the Fire Lord is afraid of his own wife." chuckled Katara. "Ten years ago, you weren't afraid of anything, but now your own Fire Lady has you on edge? I think you might have softened up over the years, Zuko." Again, everyone but the Fire Lord laughed, but he didn't mind.

Now that he had everyone assembled, the Fire Lord was ready to tell the men the real reason that he had invited them all here. "Mai, why don't you take Sun Tzu, Katara, and Suki into the living room and catch up on things? I have to talk to the others in private about something." He looked at Mai, tentatively waiting for her response.

She smiled and said almost mockingly, "Of course, honey. I'd hate to spoil your fun. Come along, Sun Tzu. You'll have to spend some time with me and my lady friends." Before she departed from her Fire Lord, she planted a light kiss on his scar. Zuko felt his face flush a little, but he smiled back at his Fire Lady as she left.

"Yes mother," said the young Prince has he bounded toward his mother as she headed inside. Suki gave Sokka a goodbye hug before they departed. A loving look passed between the two warriors as Suki went over towards Katara.

Aang did the same with his wife and lightly kissed her on the lips, saying "I won't be long dear. If I end up going somewhere with Zuko, promise me you'll keep yourself and our child safe no matter what happens." He looked into his wife's wondrous sapphire eyes, which were full of love and concern.

After a while, Katara sighed and said, "I promise Aang." But she smiled amiably at him and said, "We're in this together until the very end. I will wait for you to return, my love. I will always be with you in your heart." As she said that last word she placed her hand over Aang's heart, and he took her hand into his. They continued to smile at one another for a few moments, feeling the love that flowed throughout their beings like an endless river. They kissed one last time and she followed the others inside, Suki close by for support. Momo flew in after them as well, perhaps looking for something to eat.

Noticing Aang's worried expression, Sokka said in a cheery voice, "Don't worry pal. Suki will guard Katara with her life. She's one of the toughest people I know. If anyone tries to get at the Avatar's wife, they'll have to go through Suki first." He then added a reassuring smile for effect, which worked because Aang seemed to relax a bit.

Zuko looked around at the friends that were left standing around him and said, "I'm sure everyone present, except for Gregor and I, do not know the real reason I have called you here today. The reason why is that, after ten years of searching to no avail, I finally know where my mother is at…she's at Wu Long Forest." Aang and Sokka tensed up when he said this, for they had not been to that forest of stone and tress since the day of Sozin's Comet a whole decade ago when Aang fought the Fire Lord in their climatic battle and Sokka, Suki, and Toph bravely took down the airship fleet. Aang, however, had a feeling that they would find more than just Zuko's mother there.

_To Be Continued_


	3. Chapter Two: Reunions and Discoveries P2

Hola, mis amigos. :) I know the last chapter was a wee bit short but it was more for introductory purposes than for action. Now we get into the real meat of the story, such as introducing a new character based off of my little brother. Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu, and Kongju.

**Chapter Two: Reunions and Discoveries Part Two: The Finding of Ursa & A Startling Revelation**

It was about midday on the second day of their trip on Appa when the Wu Long Forest finally came into view. Aang looked around at the scenery that he had not seen since that fateful duel with Fire Lord Ozai ten years. Even today he could still see the scars of their epic battle etched into the rocky pillars that comprised the massive forest. He wasn't sure as to where they were headed, but Zuko knew exactly where he was going and that was why he was at the reins for this portion of the trip.

"So run this by me again," said Sokka to the Fire Lord, "you're saying that after ten years, your mother finally sends a message to you telling you where she has been hiding ever since she was banished. Why would she wait all of this time to tell you?" Gregor, Aang, and Sokka looked to Zuko for an answer.

"In her message," replied Zuko, "she had said she waited so long to reveal herself because she wanted to be sure that world was safe enough and the war was long over with before she did so. She didn't want to risk being captured during the time my father was Fire Lord, even though he was the one who banished her in the first place."

"Why was she banished in the first place anyway?" asked the Avatar. Again they all looked to Zuko for an answer, but Gregor knew it would be a difficult one for the Fire Lord to answer.

Finally, after a moment of silence, he said, "Back when my grandfather Azulon was Fire Lord, my Uncle had lost his son Lu Ten in the 600 Day Siege of Ba Sing Se. He abandoned the siege once he found out his son had died. My father wanted Azulon to revoke Iroh's birthright to the throne because he had given up and that he had no bloodline left, while he was still there and his children, Azula and I, were still alive. Azulon was furious with my father and said that his punishment should fit his crime. That night, Azula had told me that our father was going to kill me. My mother found out what my father was up to and confronted him. She said she would do anything to protect me. That night, Fire Lord Azulon died although I suspect my mother had something to do with his death. She did it in order to protect me from my father, and as punishment for her actions she was banished from the Fire Nation. At my grandfather's funeral, my father was crowned Fire Lord." Zuko closed his eyes as he remembered that night, how sad his mother had looked because she was leaving behind the son she dearly loved. He realized it must have taken a lot of courage and self-sacrifice on her part to do what she did for him that night. Now he was going to be reunited with her after more than fifteen years of being apart from her.

Gregor, seeking to comfort his Fire Lord, said "There is no need to worry Sire. We will find her where she said she would be, in the deepest and most remote part of the Wu Long Forest just near the mountain range. I highly doubt that this is the trick of a spy or imposter seeking to harm you." Zuko seemed to relax as the General said this.

"Thank you Gregor. Your kind words have helped me more than you can imagine over these ten long years. You have been my most loyal general, and I know you would never do anything to betray my trust." said the Fire Lord. Just then, they had arrived at their destination, which was a small, desolate plain that extended from the end of the Wu Long to the mountain range beyond. Zuko brought Appa down at the base of the mountains and everyone dismounted from the bison. They all looked toward the mountains and saw that there was a small forest just before the land started to form the massive mounds of earth. As they approached the beginning of the miniature forest, a strong wind blasted them as if it had a mind of its own or as if it was being directed towards them by some unseen hand.

After the wind had subsided, the gang looked back at the forest to see a lone figure watching them from the shadows. The mysterious figure seemed familiar to Zuko, as if he had seen it in a past life. The shadowy figure came out from the forest, and they could see that the figure was dressed like a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family. The figure was adorned with regal clothes and the black hair (although it had some gray streaks) was tied back into a knot while the rest of it flowed down the back. The figure stood for a while before saying "Hello my son. I see you got my message after all. And I see you've brought some friends along as well." Ursa then ran to her son and gave him a hug so fierce that it made him ache all over. But Zuko's mind blocked out the pain and hugged his mother back just as fiercely, tears streaming down his face as he was finally reunited with his long-lost mother. Aang, Sokka, and Gregor looked on at the scene with joyous expressions and even tears at this heartfelt meeting. After being away for so long, Ursa had been found again.

* * *

><p>Back in the Fire Nation, a lone building loomed on the outskirts of the Royal Palace compound. It was a desolate building where only the unfortunate inhabited its dark and foreboding walls. This was the same prison that held Iroh ten years ago after the fall of Ba Sing Se, only to see his masterful breakout months later after an intense daily exercise regime over those long, lonely months. For the last ten years, it has only harbored enemies and traitors of the new Fire Nation, including former Fire Lord Ozai and the rebel generals Zuko and his allies had captured over the years after the war.<p>

But there was one special prisoner in this place, though no one ever sought to seek her out or even to speak to her. Her cell was deep underground, so far down that it was almost forgotten had it not been for this particular inmate. This special prisoner was Azula, the once feared and respected Fire Nation Princess who had lost her mind at the end of the war. She had gone insane because when her father was going to make her Fire Lord (during which time he crowned himself the Phoenix King), she wanted to make sure her coronation went off without a hitch. She became distrustful of everyone, including her servants, her Dai Li Agents, the Imperial Firebenders, and even the royal advisors Lo and Li. Her madness was prevalent in the fierce comet-enhanced Agni Kai between her and Zuko, but in the end she was defeated by Katara and thrown into prison after the war. She was still the same cold and calculating woman as before, only now she was even more dangerous due to her insanity.

In her damp, windowless cell deep within the prison walls, she whispered, "Soon. Very soon they will come for me, and I will have my revenge on those who threw me in here to rot! Oh yes, revenge is a dish best served cold, like the ice that Waterbender used to imprison me during our fight ten years ago. Revenge will be mine after all of these years!" She smiled coldly and waited, knowing the moment of her freedom drew even closer with each passing moment.

* * *

><p>Back in the Wu Long Forest, Aang, Sokka, Gregor, Zuko, and Appa were walking through the crowd of trees with Ursa. She moved with a purpose, as if there was more to this simple reunion then they realized. Yet she still moved with the elegant grace of a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family, as this was how she was brought up as a child to walk as such. Just behind her were Zuko, who still couldn't believe his luck that his mother was now with him again, and the rest of the gang was just behind him. "So mother," the Fire Lord asked, "what happened to you all those years ago? What did you do to Fire Lord Azulon that got you banished from our home and stranded out here in the wilderness for over fifteen years? Where have you been this whole time? Where are we going? Why have you brought us out here?" His questions kept flowing like a raging flood, but Ursa calmly listened to her beloved son. After being away from him for so long, she was just content to hear the sound of his voice.<p>

After a moment of silence she said, "You have so many questions, my son. I will answer them to the best of my ability. I will start from the beginning; the night I was banished, your sister had told me of what your father was going to do to you. I confronted him and asked him if what Azula said was true, and he said it was. He…he was going to kill you as punishment for his actions against your Uncle. I was frantic to save you, and I offered my husband a plan in which Azulon would be removed from the throne and he would become the new Fire Lord. I asked that if he accepted my plan if you would be spared, to which he said that he would spare you. I gave your grandfather a tea mixed with a potent venom that would make his death seem natural, and as my husband's first unofficial act as Fire Lord he had me banished for treason against the throne. After that I visited you while you were still in bed, and then I left the Royal Palace. There was a boat waiting at the dock to take me to the Earth Kingdom where I would spend my banishment. As to where I have been all these years, that is another mystery in and of itself." They walked in silence for a while, and the Fire Lord's frustration grew as his mother continued to say nothing.

Unable to contain his anger anymore, he yelled out "Well, are you going to tell us or not? Personally I would like to know what you're doing out here by yourself without anyone to help you. How did you manage to survive for this long on your own? You're not telling us everything! What do you know?" Aang, Sokka, and Gregor looked on in stunned silence as they waited for Ursa's reaction to her son's violent outburst. The whole group stopped dead in their tracks.

Aang stepped in front of the Fire Lord and said sternly, "Zuko, I know you must be feeling angry at your mother right now for being away for so long, but that's no reason to yell at her like that! You need to calm down and let her talk on her own time. You can't just lose control like that just because she isn't talking and furthermore-". But Ursa cut him off before he could finish.

"It is all right, Avatar. My son has a right to be angry with me." Aang looked at Ursa with a surprise, for she didn't seem upset over her son's anger with her. "I have been out of his life for so long, and I did nothing to come back sooner." She looked back at her son, glistening tears filling her eyes. "But know this, my son, everyday I was gone I thought about you and how you would grow up without me by your side. But know I can see what a fine young man you've become, and a proud ruler of our nation. I do have a good reason for not coming back sooner, and it is because I could not reveal my secret until I was sure it was safe to do so." She continued walking on, and the rest of them followed after her. "Three years after my banishment and walking around the Earth Kingdom, staying in the homes of kind strangers and friends, I came to the Wu Long Forest. One night, high up on the mountainside, I was surrounded by a pack of vicious hyena-wolves. I was wounded and bleeding badly, and they were surrounding me on all sides. There was no escape to be seen, and I closed my eyes and waited for the end to come and whisk me away from this world. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a gust of wind blew through my campsite, scaring the hyena-wolves away. Just before I lost consciousness, I saw a figure descended from high above as if on an air current and touch down in front of me. He told me that I was going to be fine and that he would take me to his people for help. When I awoke, I saw this."

At this time, they were crossing over the peak of the mountain, for they had been walking for hours, and they all beheld a sight that not even Aang thought would be possible given the events of the past. Yet below them was a vast valley, and in the middle of this depression was a very large village, so large it could be considered a city. Great temples of stone were erected as far as the eye could see, for these were the only buildings in the valley. But it wasn't the temples that had everyone so captivated; rather it was the occupants that were so stunning. Dozens of people clad in orange and yellow robes flew through the skies on their gliders as gracefully as a bird in flight. Flying along side them were massive sky bison, which caused Appa let loose a roar of joy as he saw his brethren alive and well. In the courtyards of the temples, these same robe-clad people were practicing a set of flowing movements that looked very familiar to Aang. As they moved through their stances, the multitude of trees and flowers that populated the court moved with them as they swayed in the wind. Many of these people were bald with arrows on their heads, although the female figures only showed the arrow on the forehead as their hair extended down their backs. Many of the men had a large range of facial hair, from simple mustaches to flowing beards while the younger men had no facial hair at all.

They all looked on at the magnificent scene, lost in complete astonishment and bewilderment. After a long moment of silence, Sokka muttered, "Now there's something you don't see every day." He shook his head and exclaimed, "But this can't even be possible! We all must be hallucinating or something, or maybe it's the high altitude." But Aang wasn't listening to his friend's scientific reasoning behind what they were seeing.

"I can't believe it," the Avatar whispered. Then a smile of gladness came across his face and tears of joy filled his eyes as he said, "I'm not the last Airbender anymore. We've found the Air Nomads. After so long of thinking I was the last of my kind, I'm not alone anymore." Tears of unbridled joy flowed down his face as his crumpled to his knees, as they were unable to support his weight and buckled at the incredible sight before him. _If only Katara was here_, Aang thought, _how happy she would be for me that I've finally found my people again_. He closed his eyes as he imagined his wife by his side with her arms around him in a loving embrace, tears of joy also streaming down her face. His smile grew larger at this thought, and he allowed himself to enjoy the moment as the setting sun shined upon the remnant of the once great Air Nomad society.

* * *

><p>Azula was still waiting calmly in her desolate prison cell, waiting for the moment when she would be freed from this retched place. But it would become apparent to her that her rescuers were not far away, for she heard what sounded like a fight in the hallway outside of her cell. She could not see anything, but she knew that her guards were fighting off their attackers. Suddenly, silence filled the room as her guards were quickly subdued by their assailants. It was not long before she could hear her cell door being unlocked, that her time of freedom was finally here after ten long years. The leader of her rescuers stepped in as the door swung open, and she knew this was the man she had been waiting for. She waited as the leader undid her bonds with the key they had obtained from the guards. "Good work Captain. I can see why your master put you in charge of this operation. You certainly are capable of getting the job right with brutal efficiency and overwhelming power," she said to him.<p>

The man was dressed in the armor of a Firebender, in fact the same kind used during The War, but rather than having dark red as the main color, it was as black as the night sky with a purple tinge along the edges where the lighter red would have been. Instead of a white facemask, it was painted over to give it the impression of a demented, dark spirit, as if its purpose was to drive away its enemies with its fearsome face. Behind him were a couple of other Firebenders with armor colored in a similar fashion, only their facemasks were painted completely black with red around the eye sockets.

The leader took off his helmet so Azula could see the face of the man who had led this rescue. In a spine chilling voice he said, "It is an honor to serve the Dark One in whatever capacity he sees fit, including rescuing you, O most honorable Princess Azula." This man's name was Kongju, and he was a man who radiated fear so strong that it would drive men insane. He was a middle-aged man with wicked features, the find of facial features that makes one cringe and think of how devious-looking of a man could even exist. Unlike most people from the Fire Nation, his hair was blood red and was tied back into a top-knot in the traditional way of his homeland, while a longer portion hair flowed down to his shoulders. But his eyes were his most disturbing feature, for they were as red as his hair was, eyes that looked deep into the souls of men, the eyes of a madman. "The rest of my men are waiting outside to commence the second phase of the operation at your command, your Highness." He and the men present with him prostrated themselves before Azula as she smiled in cold anticipation at the events of that night, for tonight was a full moon. This fitted perfectly into their plan, for it was a crucial element in what they were about to do.

Azula, still smiling coldly, simply said, "Let it begin."

* * *

><p>Back at the Airbender village, also known as Gufeng according to Ursa, the gang walked into the main plaza as the Airbenders looked on at them as if they were the ones who were out of place instead of the other way around. But they all bowed as Aang passed by them, showing their respect to their Avatar. Sokka whispered into Aang's ear, "I can't believe the Air Nomads are still alive and well after all this time. I thought they were all wiped out over a hundred years ago by the Fire Nation. But I bet you're totally overjoyed that they're still alive and you're not the last Airbender anymore."<p>

Aang nodded in agreement and said, "If only Katara was here with us. How happy she would be to see all of this…" He grew silent as his thought of his beloved wife waiting for him back in the Fire Nation. He knew that he would be back in her arms soon enough with the wonderful news of the survival of his people.

Sokka, having noticed Aang's sudden silence, said "Come on, Aang. You know Suki and Mai are taking care of her. Don't worry so much. Even if Suki and Mai weren't there, Katara could still hold her own even in the condition she's in. My sister's tough; she can take care of herself." But Aang couldn't bring himself to relax.

"I know," Aang said, "but it's my job to be worried about her. I am her husband after all, and I love her more than anything in the world. I would give my life in order to keep her and my unborn child safe. If something happened to her…" He couldn't bring himself to finish.

Sokka finished for his friend, "I know. You would be devastated." But with Aang looking even more depressed, he tried another tactic. "Listen," he said "I'm glad you ended up with Katara. I know at first it seemed like I didn't approve of you two when you first started your relationship, but deep down I had already given you my blessing. She has been through so much in her life, what with The War and losing our mother. You brought happiness into her life like she had never experienced before. You two just…complete each other, two halves of the same whole. I've never seen her so happy in my whole life, and it's all because of you, pal. She married you because she loves you the same way you love her and that's why she's having your kid now. Keep in mind that you pretty much mean the world to her too, and that you always have been." With that he smiled at Aang, who seemed to have a burden lifted off of his shoulders when he smiled back at his friend.

Aang said, "Thanks Sokka. You always know just what to say to make me feel at ease." At this, Sokka sported a big grin on his face. He apparently looked pleased with himself and prided himself on having the ability to calm Aang whenever it came to his thoughts about Katara

"Well," he began proudly, "you know, I am quite the ladies' man myself. I know how women think and how they act. If there's anything you need to know about women, especially Katara, just ask me. Believe me; I have had plenty of experience with a certain Kyoshi warrior."

Aang laughed and said, "Yeah. And I bet if that certain Kyoshi warrior was here she might disagree with you for a multitude of reasons." Then he thought of a very interesting question. "Hey, Sokka, how come you and Suki haven't gotten married yet? You've been together for ten years and you haven't even proposed to her yet."

Sokka blushed suddenly and started stammering his words. "Well, um, you see – I have, uh, a perfectly reasonable explanation for that." But before he could explain to the Avatar whatever his "reason" was, one of the monks stepped forward from the crowd and stopped in front of the group.

"Greetings, Princess Ursa. May the wind rise up beneath you and give you safe flight on your journey through this harsh world." said the Airbender as he bowed to her. Aang was surprised to hear the traditional Air Nomad greeting, for it had not been heard in the world for over 100 years. The monk was dressed like all of the other male monks present, with the exception of his hair. Instead of a bald head, this monk had short brown hair with his arrow still clearly present on his forehead as well as his hands. His eyes, which were filled with youth, were as gray as summer storm clouds, fierce yet gentle. "It is also a great honor to be in the presence of Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko as well as Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe." he added. He bowed to them as well, and the gesture was returned. The monk looked to Gregor and said, "And it is also a personal honor to be in your presence as well, General Gregor of the Fire Nation. I have heard a great many things about you, one such thing being that you are the Fire Lord's right hand man as well as his most loyal general."

At this, Gregor had a surprised look on his weathered face. He looked at the monk more closely, then, with a gasp of realization, said, "No it can't be, could it?" He drew closer to the monk as his golden eyes peered into the gray eyes of the Airbender, looking for a sign of anything remotely familiar. Then a smile burst forth upon both of their faces and they embraced each other. When they separated, they did what looked like a secret handshake, with the fist pounded vertically twice, once horizontally, right hands clasping each other while the left clasped the other man on the back. When they were through with this, Gregor said, "I can't believe I didn't realize it was you sooner, Dreo. I could hardly recognize you in those Air Nomad robes. And that arrow! That's certainly a new addition since the last time I saw you eight years ago. You've certainly grown up. How have you been, little brother?" Zuko had never seen his general look so happy to see someone before. And how could this Airbending monk be related by blood to his highest general, who was a Firebender?

"Oh, I've been just fine ever since I found the Air Nomads." Dreo turned to Aang and said, "Avatar Aang, your people have been so very kind to me ever since my arrival here so many years ago. They have taught me a great many things I had never even realized had existed until now. Such a terrible crime the Fire Nation committed all those years ago when Fire Lord Sozin tried to exterminate such a noble breed of spiritual benders. Ever since my days as a youth in the Fire Nation, I have had a fascination with the Airbenders and-"

"Now wait just a minute!" explosively interjected Fire Lord Zuko. Everyone looked at him in surprise at his outburst. His face was contorted in anger at his general as he said, "Gregor, you have some explaining to do. How is it that you are related to this Airbending monk, and why did he leave the Fire Nation? It seems you have been keeping a secret from me all these years since the war has ended. Why?" Everyone looked to Gregor for an answer as the Firebender looked calmly at the furious Fire Lord.

Finally, after a long moment of silence, he sighed and said, "Let me start from the beginning; my little brother, Dreo, and I were both born in the Fire Nation. Our parents were minor nobles who were in charge of governing several small Earth Kingdom villages. I am six years older than my brother, but we still got along just fine. When we came of age to learn Firebending, it was clearly obvious that I had the makings of a Firebending prodigy. As for Dreo, however, he could not even make a puff of smoke. Our family asked the Fire Sages what this could mean, and they said that he had too free of a spirit in order to master the discipline required to Firebend. In other words, he could never learn Firebending. When I was eighteen and he was twelve, The War was finally over. But from the time he had first learned he could not Firebend, he became fascinated with the Air Nomads from manuscripts our father kept in his library. He would read them everyday and tell me all kinds of stories of the then-extinct group of benders. Two years after the war, he set off on a journey to find them. I told him he was crazy to try and do so, but he said he had to try and find them so he could perhaps learn Airbending from them. As foolish as his quest was, I supported him and saw him off. This is the first time I've seen him in almost eight years. I meant no disrespect to you, Fire Lord Zuko, and I had no idea until just recently that the Air Nomads were still alive and that my brother was among them. Please forgive me." He prostrated himself on the ground before his Fire Lord as Zuko looked at his general with great pity and mercy in his heart.

"I forgive you, Gregor, since you have not betrayed me in any way thus far and that utter secrecy was needed for this delicate situation. I understand. You have nothing to fear from me, most noble Firebender. Rise and stand proudly before your leader." said Zuko, and Gregor obeyed. He smiled at his long-time friend. He understood the need for secrecy, such as ten years ago when his father had thought it was Zuko who had "slain" the Avatar in Ba Sing Se rather than Azula.

"Fire Lord Zuko," said Dreo, "I can also explain my side of the story to you in order to clarify this situation. Please follow me." He turned and walked off towards the largest of the air temples as the others followed him. The sun was still very low in the sky as day began to turn to night. As they were walking, Aang thought back to his wife and hoped with all of his being that she was all right.

* * *

><p>Looking down from the roof with Captain Kongju, Azula (now dressed in the same armor as her comrades) could see that the Royal Palace was not completely empty. In fact, there was a faint light coming from the living room where three women were sitting and talking while a child was in the garden practicing Firebending. The full moon was beginning to rise behind them and Azula smiled, knowing that their time had finally come. She gave the signal, and dark figures began converging from all sides on the group in the living room. She noted coldly that one of the women was a pregnant Waterbender with a Water Tribe necklace and braided hair loops. Azula's smile grew fiercer. <em>Tonight<em>, she thought, _revenge shall be mine! _Then she descended along with the Captain to claim their quarry.


	4. Chapter Three: Air Nomads & Dark Threat

Greetings and salutations once more, my dear friends. Another chapter of my epic fanfic finally uploaded to the internet (happy days! :D). I've had so much fun writing this story. :) But as some of you might notice, most of the romantic moments tend to center around Aang and Katara. I do this because 1) I love Kataang and 2) everyone else seems happy in their own relationships. But there will be other romances later on, trust me. ;) I have to warn you now, the story gets pretty dark around this time and is not for the faint-hearted. As always, read, enjoy, and review if you wish. Long live the Avatar!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu, Kongju, and Jiliu.

**Chapter Three: The Air Nomads & A Dark Threat**

"Welcome to Dakong Si," announced Dreo as the gang walked through the open air archway of the mighty Airbender temple. Everywhere Aang looked he could see the story of his people etched on the high rising walls, much like he had seen at the Northern Air Temple ten years ago during his journey to the North Pole. Only this time, they were in pristine condition, as if they had not been neglected over the last 110 years. "The elders are not here because they have been on a high priority reconnaissance mission in the Earth Kingdom for the past few months. There have been rumors of a secret organization that has recently been arising all over the world, recruiting benders of every nation to its cause. We don't know who these people are or what their cause is, and we're concerned that they may become a threat." As Dreo said this, Aang's apprehension grew as his thoughts turned to those of his vulnerable wife. Was she safe and out of this dark organization's hands? More importantly, was their child safe? Was she in danger? These thoughts raced through his mind like a gale-force wind, and he was unable to stop them much like he was currently unable to do anything to help his wife right now. His inability to be by his wife's side at that moment frustrated him immensely, but he had to listen to this young monk's story.

"Well," Sokka said in a matter-of-fact tone, "now that we know that there may be more bad guys lurking out there to catch us with our pants down, why don't you tell us how you came to be here and how the Air Nomads have survived all of these years in secret." But the young monk simply laughed at what Sokka had said.

"So what I have heard about you is true; you're quite the comedian, Sokka. I can see why Aang and Zuko are such good friends with you. But yes; I shall tell you my story and the story of the Air Nomad's survival as told to me by the elders." As he said this, they all stepped out into an open courtyard in the very center of Dakong Si. This courtyard allowed the Airbenders to practice their bending skills. The cool night air smelled like sweet cherry blossoms, and Dreo drew in a breath before he began his story.

"Eight years ago, I left the Fire Nation in search of the Air Nomads, or at least what was left of them. I wandered through the wilderness of the Earth Kingdom for two years on my own when one day I was walking through the Wu Long Forest and I saw what looked like a sky bison passing over the mountain range. Thinking it was Avatar Aang flying on Appa, I went to the top of the mountain to see for myself. When I got to the top, I saw the city of Gufeng laid out before my eyes. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. As I descended into the city, the Airbenders here stopped me and held me up because I was wearing Fire Nation clothes. One of the elders, Monk Qiufeng, stepped forward and asked me if I was a spy for the Fire Nation. I told them I wasn't and that I had sought them out so that they could teach me how to Airbend. They didn't believe me at first, but once I showed them I could not Firebend, they changed their mind. Monk Qiufeng became my Airbending teacher, and for over five years he taught me the art of Airbending. I had trouble with it at first, but I soon became a master at it and received my arrow. But I'm not allowed to have my head shaven like the other male monks because I was not born into the Air Nomads like they all were. But they still accepted me as one of their own. Also during that time I met your mother, Fire Lord Zuko. She and I have been friends for a few years." The former Fire Nation Princess smiled at the young monk. "The reason I did not send a message to my brother telling him where I was is because I did not want to risk disclosing the location of the Air Nomads until Ursa had sent for you to show you herself. I'm sure you understand, Fire Lord Zuko." He made a bow of respect towards Zuko.

"I understand the need for your secrecy. I was only angry before because someone had known where my mother was this whole time and didn't tell me. There's no need to apologize now. I thank you for keeping my mother's location a secret from my enemies." He returned the deep bow of respect to Dreo, who was surprised at this gesture.

But Aang was only half-listening to Dreo's story because he felt that there was something wrong in the world at that moment. He could feel a dark presence threatening his wife, but he did not know what it was. He prayed to the spirits and asked them to protect his precious wife. But even his prayers could not put him at ease. Something was indeed wrong, and he didn't like it one bit.

* * *

><p>Back in the Fire Nation, the Royal Palace glowed like a rare jewel in the bright moonlight. In the living room, Katara, Suki, and Mai sat on the couches conversing while Sun Tzu practiced his Firebending in the garden. Momo, however, was away at the time and no one knew where he went. As he went through his movements, Sun Tzu let loose more flames with each stroke of his arms and legs. His fire lit up the dark, tranquil garden like a candle in a dark room. Mai watched her son with quiet contention as he continued to practice his bending. Her son had a certain air about him, as if he had the immense responsibility of upholding the honor of his family through his skills as a bender. She knew that, when he came to be older, his Firebending would improve dramatically and he would indeed become a powerful Firebender like his father. She smiled to herself. <em>I wonder what he's doing right now<em>, she thought. _Maybe they found his mother after all, or maybe it was just a wild goose-pigeon chase._ _Oh well. Either way he'll be back soon enough and we can put this behind us once and for all. He's always away from home for long periods of time, either reestablishing connections with the other nations of hunting down rogue generals_. She sighed. _I guess it comes with being the wife of the Fire Lord. But one benefit I have gained from this is my beloved son_. With this thought in mind, she turned to Katara and Suki to resume their conversation. "So Katara," she asked, "what's it like being married to the Avatar? Things could never be boring while he's around; I mean he's smart and funny, yet he's one of the most powerful people in the whole world. And what's it like knowing that you're having his child?" She and Suki looked to Katara as she silently pondered Mai's questions.

After her moment of thoughtful silence, Katara said, "I tend not to think of Aang as just being the Avatar. Yes, I do know that he is the Avatar, but that didn't change how I felt about him when we started a relationship ten years ago. I love him for who he is, and I know he loves me the same way. We just connect in our own special way. Like you said Mai, he's smart, funny, sometimes goofy, caring, and gentle. And yet he's still a very powerful bender, what with him being able to control all four elements." She thought back to ten years ago when she, Aang, and Sokka were in Makapu Village, the home of the fortuneteller Aunt Wu. She had told Katara of her future love life and that she would marry a powerful bender. After Aang had saved the village from the erupting Mt. Makapu with an impressive feat of Airbending, Sokka had said what a powerful bender Aang was. Katara had made some sort of connection between Aang and her fortune, but she didn't give much thought until much later whenever Aang revealed his true feelings for her during the invasion. She smiled, glad to see that yet another one of Aunt Wu's fortunes had come true yet again. "As for having his child," she continued, "I see it as the culmination of our love for each other. This child is the product of our deep love for one another. But ever since I became pregnant, Aang has barely left me alone." She chuckled softly. "I know he's concerned about me and the baby, but I can still take care of myself. I'm not dying; I'm just carrying a very important burden around." She winced slightly as the baby kicked at her stomach. "A very active burden, if I do say so myself." She then looked to Suki and asked, "Why hasn't Sokka proposed to you yet? I had figured after ten years of being in a relationship you guys would at least be married by now. You guys make a cute couple." She smiled at Suki, who blushed almost timidly.

"Honestly, I don't know why." she replied sadly. "Maybe he's waiting for the right moment or something. Even after being his girlfriend for ten years I still can't figure him out. Guys are so weird." She looked back at Katara and quickly added, "Well, except for Aang. You guys are married after all, and you both look so happy together. If only I were so lucky." Suki's face became down-trodden as she thought about her relationship with Sokka. Why hadn't he proposed to her yet? Did he really love her, or was he using her? Tears of longing began to form in her eyes as her sadness grew.

Katara noticed the Kyoshi warrior's sad expression and said, "Hey, don't be sad." She put a comforting hand on the Kyoshi Warrior's shoulder. "You'll get married someday, and when Sokka does ask you to marry him you'll be so happy. I'm sure Sokka does have a good explanation for not marrying you yet, and if he hurts your feelings in any way I'll beat him up myself. He may be my big brother, but we girls have to stick together." She smiled at her friend, who had begun wiping her tears as Katara was comforting her.

"Thank you, Katara," said Suki, "it's just that, seeing you and Mai so happy with your husbands, it reminds me of what I don't have yet. I want to be happy with Sokka for the rest of my life but I can't do that until he proposes to me." She looked up at her friends and laughed sheepishly. "Listen to me, sounding like a whining kid. I'm sorry I've had to bother you two with my situation." She looked down, feeling very much embarrassed.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Katara said assuredly. "Mai and I have gone through the same situation. We didn't know when our husbands would propose to us until they actually did." She paused for a short moment to think, and then said, "Aang once told me a few years ago that when love is real, it finds a way. If you and Sokka truly love each other, you'll both end up together. I love Aang, and Mai loves Zuko, and that's why we ended up with the ones we love so dearly. Whenever Sokka does propose to you, he'll do it in such a special way it will make your heart burst with love and joy. I should know because the same thing happened to me when Aang proposed to me." She blushed crimson red as she remembered that day when her life changed forever.

Mai laughed and said, "Zuko isn't exactly the romantic type. He tries to be romantic, but he looks just plain ridiculous when he tries to do so. Whenever he first tried to propose to me, he tried to write it in the sky using airships and Firebending. He lost seven airships doing so." They all laughed at this, their clear voices ringing through the palace. "But his Uncle finally suggested that he try a much simpler approach, that he should-" But the Fire Lady was cut short mid-sentence by the cry of a child in the garden.

"Mommy! Help me! I…can't…move!" cried Sun Tzu. The three women glanced over at the young Fire Nation Prince, who was standing in the middle of the garden. The only thing that was odd was the fact that he was not moving a single muscle; every tendon and fiber was locked in place, as if by a mysterious power. The only thing that was moving was his mouth and his eyes, which were filled with fear. Without a moment's hesitation, Mai rushed to her son as Suki helped Katara move.

"What's wrong, Sun Tzu? Why can't you move?" Mai asked her son with concern in her voice. Her son was struggling with all his might to break free of whatever was controlling him, but it was useless. It had an iron grip on him which refused to let go.

"I don't know, Mommy. I was just practicing my Firebending when my body turned against me. What's wrong with me?" The young Prince had tears in his eyes as he realized his helplessness. Suddenly, Katara stiffened up as she realized what this was.

"I know what this is," she said with horror in her voice. "The last time I saw this happen was ten years ago. I've used this technique once before when Zuko and I searched for the man who had killed my mother: Bloodbending. Someone is bending the water inside of Sun Tzu's body."

"That's right," said a sinister voice. From out of the shadows came the Waterbender who was controlling Sun Tzu. He was a middle-aged man with long, flowing black hair and dark azure eyes, which were as dark as a threatening sea. He had olive skin and on his face he had a thin scar which ran diagonally across his face, as if someone had taken a knife to his cruel face. His mouth was contorted into a sneer, and his hands were held up in the shape of claws, controlling Sun Tzu. But strangest of all was his clothing. He had on the traditional clothing a Water Tribe male, but rather than deep blue it was as black as night. Where the white outlining fur should have been was a deep shade of purple. This was perhaps one of the strangest people the women had ever seen in their lives. In a chilly voice he said, "I am Jiliu of the Northern Water Tribe. I have come here to take revenge on all of you!" With a swift move of his hands, he sent Sun Tzu flying across the garden like a ragdoll, the young Prince screaming the whole time. Without a moment's hesitation, Katara reached out with her chi and severed the connection between Jiliu and Sun Tzu. The Prince dropped to the ground and ran toward his mother, who embraced him defensively like a mother platypus-bear.

Katara, upon seeing the pond in the garden, summoned the water to her and created water tendrils that covered her arms. In one swift spin, she sent the water surging toward Jiliu who deflected it with ease. But while he was busy deflecting the water jet, Mai had thrown knives at the assailant and pinning him to the far wall. Katara asked, "Why are you doing this? The war has been over for ten years! The Water Tribe is no longer at war with the Fire Nation. The Avatar defeated Fire Lord Ozai and brought an end to the war." Suddenly another voice came from above, and it sounded just as cold as Juliu's voice.

"And he is the reason why we are here this evening." Captain Kongju and his Firebenders dropped in just behind the heroines and took their fighting stances. "You see, our master would like for you to come with us, preferably quietly." But they weren't about to go quietly. Katara bended more water tendrils, Mai revealed more throwing knives, and Suki brandished her golden fans. Kongju shook his head and laughed. "Give up, fools. You're completely surrounded." More Waterbenders and Firebenders emerged from the shadows and cut off any chance of escape. In all there were ten Waterbenders and ten Firebenders, including Jiliu and Kongju. All of them wore their standard black and purple colored armor/clothing, and each of them were deadly benders. But the three women weren't going to give up without a fight.

"What makes you think we'll go quietly?" Katara boldly asked Kongju. "We're not afraid of you or your men, whoever you work for." Suddenly, a piercing laugh ripped through the tense night. It was the maniacal laugh of madness. Katara had heard that laugh before, but it didn't seem possible. Could it be that an enemy from her past had returned to bring her harm?

"Oh yes, I remember you; the little Waterbender girl. Katara, was it? I'm glad to see that you still have some fight in you after all of these years." Azula stepped out from behind Captain Kongju, revealing her presence to all those present. "I can hardly wait to snuff that spirit of yours. Oh, what pleasure it would give me to do so!" She laughed again, her cruel voice ringing through the night air.

Katara's eyes widened with fear. "Oh no," she breathed. It was as if a nightmare from her past had returned to haunt her once more. And there was no escaping from it this time, no waking up from it.

Azula smiled coldly. "Oh yes," she slyly replied to the stunned Waterbender. "I'm back, and this time things will go much differently for you than at our last encounter." With a shout, she engaged Katara with a flurry of blue fireballs while Mai and Suki engaged Kongju and his benders. The Waterbender raised a wall of water in front of her and braced for impact.

* * *

><p>"Now it is time for me to tell you how it is that the Air Nomads escaped their fate at the hands of the Fire Nation over 100 years ago," said Dreo. "A couple of years ago, Monk Qiufeng told me this story. The day Sozin's Comet arrived over 100 years ago the Fire Nation launched their genocide of the Air Nomads in order to kill the new Avatar. But the Air Nomads were prepared for this, and when the Fire Nation did attack each of the four Air Temples had groups of civilians and Airbenders ready to evacuate at a moment's notice. The rest of the Airbenders stayed behind to hold off the Firebenders while their friends and family escaped. They sacrificed themselves to ensure that their culture would survive. These martyrs have been in our historical archives ever since. One such famous martyr was Monk Gyatso of the Southern Air Temple." As Dreo said this, Aang looked down at the ground as happy memories of the man he had considered his father rushed through his head. "He was the teacher and guardian of Avatar Aang, but after his pupil disappeared, he wanted to do whatever he could to help our culture survive. So in the end he chose to stay behind and fight until his dying breath." Dreo looked to Aang and said, "Your teacher was a brave and noble monk. As the long as the Air Nomads live, he will never be forgotten."<p>

Aang looked up with tears in his eyes. "He was more than just a teacher and guardian; he was one of my closest friends. I will certainly never forget him as long as I live. He was like a father to me, and I loved him like a son would love his father." He wiped away his tears and drew in a breath to steady himself. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "here I am crying like a baby when I should be happy for the survival of the Air Nomads. That's not very Avatar-like of me at all."

Sokka came over and put an arm around Aang. "Don't sweat it pal. You're just overwhelmed right now; I mean this is a lot to take in all at once. But look at the bright side; whenever we get back you'll be able to tell Katara all about this." Aang smiled at the thought of being reunited with his wife.

Dreo's eyes widened with surprise and awe. "Wait a minute," he said. "You don't mean THE Katara, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe and master Waterbender with the hair loopies?" Dreo looked as if he might collapse at any second at just the mention of such a famous person.

Aang laughed and said, "Of course he means THE Katara. This is her brother after all. And I'm her husband." When Aang said this, Dreo's mouth dropped open even further in utter astonishment.

"You're Katara's husband?" exclaimed the young Airbender in bewilderment. "I had no idea that you were married, Avatar Aang. You two must really be happy together." He smiled and added, "May the storms of life pass quietly over you and your wife, the winds of prosperity blow your way, and a fertile breeze pass over your family for generations to come."

Aang smiled and graciously said, "Thank you for your blessing. The elders here have taught you well in our ancient ways. And yes, Katara and I are very happy to be together." His thoughts again turned to his wife, the woman who was the center of his life. He couldn't wait to be back in her loving arms again so he could tell her all about his amazing discovery. Even being away from her this long was putting him at an uneasiness that he could not shake off no matter how hard he tried.

Suddenly, Gregor stepped forward and said to his brother, "Dreo, I think we should have a fight. It would be a good opportunity to show our bending skills to one another after being apart for so long. I want to see how well the Air Nomads have taught my goofy little brother." Everyone looked to Dreo as his considered his options for approaching the situation.

Finally, Dreo said "Sure Gregor. It'll be nice to kick your flaming butt after being apart for eight years. You know I'm quite a capable fighter from our scuffles years ago." He smiled mischievously at the Fire Nation general.

"Oh, I won't be the one losing." replied Gregor curtly. "You're the one who's going down. You know I'm no pushover. After all, I am Fire Lord Zuko's highest military commander and most loyal general. My Firebending skills are legendary." He and Dreo walked to the opposite sides of the courtyard as the others cleared off to the sides in order to watch. When Gregor reached his side of the field, he turned and bowed, with the traditional Fire Nation hand gesture, to Fire Lord Zuko, who nodded at the general. Gregor then drew in his breath to power his bending and took his stance, right fist extended outward, the left held in reserve, and legs spread apart so that his legs were vertical and feet horizontal towards his opponent, his weight on the back leg.

When Dreo reached his side of the field, he turned around and bowed to Aang, who also nodded, and then took his fighting stance. His stance was significantly different than that of his brother, his right leg and hand raised up with his left palm extended outward and his right hand held folded behind his head. There was a tense moment of silence as the small crowd looked back and forth between the two benders, waiting for one of them to make the first move. Gregor's golden eyes fiercely reflected the fire burning deep within him while Dreo's dark gray eyes calmly reflected the gentle gusts flowing around him. The full moon hung high over the scene, as if the moon spirit herself was a spectator as well in this event.

With an explosion of energy, Gregor stepped forward and unleashed a fireball with his left fist, then immediately followed up with a roundhouse kick with his right foot and a straight kick with his left foot. Dreo countered with a blast of air from his right hand as he drew his left hand back and crossed his right leg behind his left. After that he jumped up in the air to avoid the rest of Gregor's attacks and sent balls of wind flying at Gregor with quick jabs of his fists. Gregor stomped with his left foot to widen his stance and drew his hands above him in an arc as a wave of flames intercepted the air strike. He then spun around, ducking low as he spun and brought his hands closer to him before unleashing a jet of flame from his cupped palms. Dreo countered again by spinning in mid-air to create a tornado to deflect the attack, afterwards sending it towards the Firebender. He landed on the ground as the swirling vortex struck Gregor and threw him against the far wall of the courtyard. The Airbender resumed his stance and grinned, glad to see his long years of training starting to pay off.

But Gregor drew himself up and also resumed his stance. "Not bad," he laughed in a friendly tone, "but let's see how well you can handle this!" He drew himself up straight and flames sprouted in his hands. Then he unleashed a flaming barrage attack as the Firebender swirled his arms like a windmill, sending spires of flames screaming towards his younger brother. But the Airbender was ready. Spinning around, he swept his arms in front of him as a blade of air sliced through the threatening flames. But little did he know about the two streams of fire Gregor had shot off to the side during his assault. At the last minute, Gregor stepped forward with his left foot and drew his arms horizontally parallel in front of him, each with a closed fist. The two opposing fireballs hit the Airbender from both sides at the same time, knocking him off his feet. Gregor smiled proudly when he saw his opponent go down.

Aang turned to Zuko and said, "Gregor seems to have an unusual fighting style for a Firebender. Not only does he incorporate Firebending techniques, but I think he might also be using some Waterbending techniques as well. That swirling arm motion and that crossing fireball move looked very much like moves I've seen Katara use before. Why is that?" The Avatar looked inquisitively to his old friend, who was smiling and obviously pleased with Gregor's performance.

"The reason why," replied the Fire Lord, "is because in addition to being my top general, he is also my liaison to the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom. I had him learn the different fighting styles of each nation so he could incorporate those movements into his own Firebending in order to make him stronger. My Uncle did something similar with lightning redirection, which was a move he created after he studied the Waterbenders. I'm just expanding on his idea of putting all of the nations together so that a single fighting style is stale and rigid. But Gregor can only use those techniques to Firebend and not to bend water, earth, or even air. He knows mostly Earthbending and Waterbending techniques as well as few Airbending techniques, which he rarely uses. That is the difference between you and him. Your bending power and techniques allow you to control all of the elements; in his case, he can only bend fire in every technique that he learns. That is why he is such a powerful Firebender; he could fight anyone using the techniques of the different bending styles." Aang was impressed by Zuko's explanation of Gregor's abilities and was proud to see that his old friend had decided to do this in order to better establish relations between the Fire Nation and the rest of the world. What better way to reestablish connections with the world than to learn from them?

But Dreo wasn't finished yet. With a furious spin, he sent a wall of wind racing towards Gregor. Gregor stomped with his left foot, widening his stance, and drew his arms in front of him as if to ward off a blow. Suddenly, a wall of flame burst forth in front of him and blocked the vortex before it could strike him. Then Gregor sliced his hands in front of him and the flames subsided. He then shot up into the air on a jet of flame and did a vertical kick as a stream of flame descended upon Dreo. The Airbender created a vortex above him by spinning his arms above his head, and the attack was thwarted. "I must say Gregor," said Dreo through his ragged panting, "You've certainly improved in your bending skills since the last time I saw you. You seem to have picked up some new tricks over the years. I thought I may have seen some Waterbending and Earthbending techniques in some of your moves. I have to say that I'm rather impressed." The Airbender beamed with pride at his older brother. Their brotherly bond was still as strong as ever.

Gregor laughed and said "You are most certainly right, my little brother. You've always had an observant eye, and I can see that the monks have taught you well over the years in the art of Airbending." Gregor's face became serious again, and he said, "But this fight ends now. Come on, Dreo. One final attack to decide the outcome of this battle. No holds bar. Are you in?" Gregor assumed his stance one last time.

Dreo also assumed his stance and said with pride in his voice, "Yes. I think that is a most worthy idea. Finishing off our battle with a bang; I like it. Let's do it!" He began running in a circle and created a massive cyclone, causing the night air to become turbulent and unstable. The others were nearly blown away by the powerful winds. At the same time, Gregor was charging up a ball of flame in his clasped hands, which were at his side. Suddenly, he released the built-up power and an intense jet of flame burst forth from his hands and Dreo sent the cyclone flying towards his brother. The crowd held its breath as air and fire raced towards inevitable destruction. Little did Aang know, but things were about to change and life as he knew it would never be the same.

* * *

><p><em>I can't keep this up<em>, thought Katara as she panted, gasping for breath. _Azula's too powerful, and in my condition I'm in no shape to fight. Mai and Suki aren't having much luck either_. But she steeled herself as Azula pressed her attack even harder. Mai and Suki had knocked out several of the enemy Firebenders and Waterbenders, either unconscious on the ground or pinned to a wall by knives. Only Jiliu (who had been freed earlier by his allies), Kongju, and a few benders remained. Sun Tzu had run off and hid in a bush in order to protect himself. Meanwhile, the pregnant Waterbender was busy trying to fend off the insane Fire Nation Princess. Katara tried using mostly defensive techniques as to not overexert herself and hurt the baby, and Azula used this to her advantage. She mercilessly attacked the Waterbender, not giving her a second to breathe or regain her footing. This time Azula sent a flying kick at Katara, but she easily dodged it and imprisoned her foe in a block of ice, immobilizing her and taking her out of the fight.

"Give up, Waterbender!" commanded the voice of the blood-thirsty Captain Kongju. Katara looked over and gasped as she saw that Mai and Suki had been captured, as well as Sun Tzu. The Fire Nation Prince was crying and Mai was trying to calm him down with soothing words of comfort. Suki had a look of defeat on her face and ashamed tears in her eyes. The demon-like captain smiled coldly. "If you don't surrender yourself immediately, I'll have no choice but to kill them all." In order to emphasize his deadly threat, he sprouted a ball of flame in his hand and took aim at her friends.

"Don't!" Katara shouted. Tears had sprung up in her eyes at the peril of her friends. She closed her eyes, looked down in defeat and sadly said, "I'll surrender. Just please don't hurt my friends." After she had said this, she released Azula from her icy prison. The Fire Nation Princess lay gasping for air on the ground as the Waterbender got on her knees in a gesture of surrender. Kongju let the flame in his hand die away as a smile came across his evil face.

When Azula had finished catching her breath, she began to laugh. "I told you," she said to Katara as the Princess rose from the ground, "that things would end much differently than the last time we met. Now that our little scuffle is over with, let's get down to business, shall we?" She advanced toward Katara, who held her head down sadly. Azula stopped in front of the Waterbender and crouched down so they could see eye-to-eye. "I can see that you've been busy ever since the war ended. I take it you're married now?" Katara refused to respond. "Well of course you're married," continued Azula, "I mean, what boy could resist you forever? Wait, let me guess; your husband is the Avatar?" Again, no reply from Katara. Azula gasped in mock surprise and said, "And you're pregnant with his child! Oh isn't that just wonderful! It must be an immense responsibility to carry an unborn life inside of you." Azula smiled coldly as she enjoyed her victory over her fallen enemy.

Katara looked up at Azula and glared angrily at her. "You wouldn't know what it's like. All you know is death and destruction, fear and chaos. You're not even close to being human. You're a witch." Azula's eyes widened in anger and, drawing her hand back, slapped Katara across the face. There was a red mark on her cheek where Azula had hit her, but Katara refused to show any signs of pain or submission to the insane Firebender.

"Ignorant Water Tribe filth!" angrily exclaimed Azula. "You'll pay for your insolence!" Suddenly, she seemed to regain her composure as she smiled coldly. "Well, we'll just have to see if we can quell that fighting spirit that you harbor in that body of yours. I believe our little procedure will take care of that, don't you agree Captain?" Kongju nodded with grim delight, his red eyes piercing through the dark night.

Katara's eyes widened with fear. What was this procedure Azula was talking about? She didn't like it, whatever it was. "What are you going to do to me?" she asked, unable to keep her voice from trembling. Fear began to claw at her heart as she tried to figure out what Azula was saying.

Azula said with cold pride, "The only reason why you're still alive right now is because of the Avatar. Since he is your husband and soon-to-be father of your child, I should think that, in order to cause harm to him, something would have to happen to you and his child. Why, he would be so devastated he would never fight again."

"You're wrong, Azula." said Katara with certainty. "My husband would avenge my death as well as the death of our child. He would chase you until the end of the world. He loves me and our child more than anything in the world." But Azula laughed manically at Katara's defiant speech.

"Oh you hero types, always proclaiming love and justice to be the principles that run the world. We're not going to kill you; at least not right away. Our master has a… special interest in your unborn child, Katara. He wants to ensure that the Avatar's bloodline ends, that his spawn cannot contaminate the world he has in mind. No, we will not kill you first…..we will kill your unborn child first!" An evil laugh escaped from Azula's lips as Katara's face contorted into one of horror, tears of anguish flowing down her cheeks. Mai and Suki heard what Azula had said, and their horrified faces were made clear in the dim light.

"No, please!" pleadingly begged Katara, tears flowing down her face like an unending waterfall. "Not my child, not my baby! I'll never let you take my child from me as long as I'm still breathing! I won't!" But Azula only laughed harder. The blackness of the night seemed to grow stronger as the evil atmosphere continued to grow in power. Suddenly, Azula ripped off Katara's necklace and held it up in triumph.

"What are you doing?" Katara screamed, unable to control herself. That necklace meant everything in the world to her; her mother and her marriage to Aang. It was the one of the most precious material objects in her life, part of her identity. Was Azula going to take away everything and everyone she loved and cared about?

"Isn't it obvious?" asked the insane Azula. "I want the Avatar to be able to find you just in time for him to see the lifeless corpses of you and your child! Oh, I can just imagine the devastated look on his face!" She turned to Kongju and said, "Captain, take this necklace. I want you to stay behind and give this to the Avatar along with a message: 'The darkness is falling, and it shall first consume the woman you hold most dear to your heart.' Do you understand your orders, Captain Kongju?" She held out the necklace towards the Captain as she waited for his reply.

It didn't take long for him to reply. He took the necklace and said "I do, O most terrifying and honorable Princess Azula. I will be here when the Avatar returns with his friends and the message will be delivered." He raised the fist that had the necklace enclosed in it and shouted to his men, "In the name of our dark master, this shall be done! For the glory of our Emperor!" Jiliu and the other benders joined in their captain's cheer, their malevolent voices ringing through the night like an evil chorus. Jiliu led the benders away, with Mai, Suki, and Sun Tzu in tow.

Azula turned to Katara and said mockingly, "Why don't you get some sleep? I mean you've got to take care of yourself. Think of the baby." She laughed cruelly and struck the Waterbender. Katara's vision began to fail her as she fell to the ground. Tears were still flowing from her eyes as she silently prayed for her husband to come to her rescue. By the time she hit the ground, she had lost all consciousness.

* * *

><p>A sudden, jolting sensation entered into Aang's mind. It was a hot, intense pain that enveloped every fiber of his being. Every muscle and nerve in his body began locking up, contracted by the sudden onslaught. He had never felt anything like this before in his entire life. It was if his body was on fire, every molecule in his body crying out in unison. Unable to restrain himself, he screamed "STOP!" and slammed the palms of his hands on the ground, sending a shockwave through the air. Everyone looked at Aang in such shock that even Gregor and Dreo stopped their final attacks. Aang stayed where he was, gasping for air and trying to keep his body under control. Something was definitely wrong, and he knew what the cause was. His friends looked on at the Avatar, concern and worry the forefront look on their faces.<p>

"What's wrong, Aang?" Sokka asked nervously. He had never seen Aang do this kind of thing before. He didn't know what brought it about, but he knew that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"It's Katara," stammered Aang. "She's in terrible danger. I can feel it." His body was shaking as he silently sobbed, knowing that the love of his life was in mortal peril and that he was too far away to help her.

"How do you know she's in danger?" asked Zuko.

Suddenly Aang stood up and angrily grabbed Zuko by the collar, forcing the Fire Lord down to the Avatar's level. "I just know she is!" he shouted at the top of his voice as he stared into Zuko's amber eyes. "Don't you get it? My wife is in danger and we're nowhere near the Royal Palace to save her in time!" Tears of anger and rage were flowing down Aang's cheeks, his teeth locked in a grit. Zuko looked with fear into the Avatar's stormy gray eyes, and he could see all of Aang's turbulent emotions roiling around like thunderstorms. But then Aang's expression softened and he let go of Zuko. "I'm sorry," he croaked out. "I know she's in danger because I have a strong emotional bond with her. Sometimes I can feel what she's feeling at any moment if that emotion is strong enough, and right now she's mortally terrified about something. It's like she's scared that someone is going to take something from her." He looked around at his friends and imperatively said, "We have to get back to the Royal Palace right away! If Katara's in danger, so are Suki, Mai, and Sun Tzu." The eyes of Sokka and Zuko widened as Aang said this.

Without a moment's hesitation, everyone climbed aboard Appa, except for Ursa. "I'll stay here and let the elders know what the situation is whenever they get back." Noticing her son's hurt expression, she said, "Don't worry, Zuko. We won't be apart for long. Now go and save your wife and child." She smiled at the Fire Lord, who smiled back at his loving mother.

"Come on, Appa," Aang said to his companion. "We don't have a moment to waste. You'll have to fly twice as fast this trip." When the great bison roared in protest, "I'll make sure you get plenty of rest and lots of hay whenever we get there, OK?" Appa grunted in agreement. "Yip yip!" shouted Aang, and the sky bison rose into the air. Dreo bended the air behind them in order to create a tailwind to help them go faster. Below them, the Airbender city of Gufeng grew smaller and smaller as their speed increased. _Hold on, Katara, _silently pleaded Aang. _Please keep yourself safe, and keep our child safe_. Tears filled his eyes again as he thought of being too late to save her. He must not fail!


	5. Chapter Four: A New Foe

Hello once more, my friends. Now the story becomes more interesting (As if it wasn't interesting already, right? :P). Toph now makes her grand return in this chapter, so that'll make all of you very much happy. I've decided on the idea that Toph should have a man of her own, but I won't say who it is. You'll just have to find out on your own. ;) Again, reviews and comments are always welcome!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Four: A New Foe**

Blowing an annoying strand of hair out of her face, Toph Bei Fong stared out at the tranquil sea as the early morning sun was starting to rise. She didn't hate boat travel as much as she did flying, but it was enough to make her sick to her stomach as she gripped the metal railing of the boat so hard that she was bending it out of shape. She was on her way to the Fire Nation Royal Palace, having been invited by Fire Lord Zuko. The reason why she was late was because of bad storms in the Earth Kingdom that slowed her travel over land from Ba Sing Se to nearest Earth Kingdom port to the Fire Nation.

After the war, Toph had gone and visited her parents. When she arrived at the Bei Fong estate in Gaoling, her parents welcomed her with open, loving arms. They had heard about her travels with the Avatar and how she had helped to save the world from the Fire Nation. They were proud of her selfless action to go with the Avatar and help him defeat Fire Lord Ozai. After so long, Toph's parents finally accepted her for who she really was; not as the helpless blind daughter they had kept secret from the world, but rather as the greatest Earthbender in the world and a key player in the Fire Nation's defeat. After things were patched up between her and her parents, she decided to leave home and help the new Fire Lord to track down his rogue generals and bring them to justice. She wanted to help make the world a better place, and her parents understood and even supported her decision to leave.

Over the next six years, she helped the Fire Lord, the Avatar, and her friends to track down rogue generals all over the world. After six years of fighting, Toph opened an Earthbending academy in Ba Sing Se in order to teach children (some of which were blind) of all ages how to Earthbend. She also taught an advanced metalbending course for her more advanced students. She had also taught Aang how to metalbend, adding to his arsenal of bending abilities. The last time she saw any of her friends was at Aang and Katara's wedding, and she was looking forward to seeing them all again.

However, there was one person who she was a little nervous about seeing again, and that was Sokka. From almost the first time they had met, she had a secret crush on him. She never revealed this information to anyone, not even to Aang or Katara. But her feelings weren't reciprocated by Sokka because he loved Suki and she loved him just as much. Although it has been ten years, those feelings she had for him were hard to get rid of. Tears of loneliness welled up in her eyes as she remembered the fact that there was no special guy in her life like all of her other female friends had. _Maybe I'll never find love, she thought sadly to herself_. _Maybe I was meant to be alone the rest of my life. Katara and Mai are married and Suki is involved with Sokka. But me, I'm just a pathetic loser when it comes to love_. Her tears now streamed down her face as she silently sobbed to herself. She rubbed her space earth bracelet on her right wrist to try and comfort herself.

Suddenly, she heard the roar of an animal above her, and she recognized the sound. It was Appa! Aang was flying right over her! She happily wiped away her tears. With as much force as she could put behind her voice, she shouted, "Hey Twinkle Toes! Down here!" The sound of her voice carried over the water, but it sounded to her like Appa kept flying. Toph didn't hear the bison descend, and she became even sadder.

"Hiya there, Toph! How's it going?" Sokka cried out and Toph nearly jumped off the boat out of sheer fright. Aang had brought Appa down after all! "You might want to get on the bison pretty quick." said Sokka eagerly. "It took all of my persuasive powers to get Aang to come down here and he's not going to stay much longer, so hurry up!"

Without another word, Toph carefully climbed onto Appa's tail and started to walk up. She almost lost her balance and fell off, but a hand shot out and grabbed hers. "Whoa that was a close one! Are you OK?" a voice called out as Toph regained her balance on the bison's tail.

Toph didn't recognize the newcomer at all. His voice was completely foreign to her ears. But she immediately put on a tough front, saying "Yeah, I'm fine! I can help myself up. I'm not helpless." She half-expected the newcomer to notice her disability and offer his assistance anyway, but he did something that completely shocked her; he let go of her hand.

He said, "I know you're not helpless. It's just that you were about to fall off, and I just caught you before you did go overboard. No need for us to go swimming when we're on kind of an important mission. Aang's pretty worked up over something serious, and I don't want to get on his bad side. Just get on before he decides to leave without you."

Toph was speechless as she climbed aboard the bison. Shortly after she was in the saddle, Aang took Appa high up into the air. "Who are you?" she warily asked the stranger.

"My name is Dreo," came the answer to her question. "And I'm guessing you're Toph Bei Fong, the blind Earthbender who helped to teach Aang Earthbending in order to defeat Fire Lord Ozai. It's a pleasure and an honor to meet you." He shook hands with her, and by this time Toph was blushing.

"Why do you think I'm not helpless?" Toph stammered. This Dreo character seemed a little odd, seeing as how he was one of the few people that didn't see her and at once offer to take care of everything for her.

Dreo replied earnestly, "Well, I figured since you're the world's most powerful Earthbender and Metalbender, you could hold your own in any situation. I've heard a lot about you, Blind Bandit. You're a tough girl; you don't need anyone holding you back, telling you that you can't do something because of your condition. I believe you can do anything you set your mind to." By the time Dreo had finished, Toph was blushing so hard that if felt like she had sunburn on her cheeks. Dreo noticed her face and jokingly asked, "Everything all right over there, Blind Bandit? You look like you're burning up; actually, you look a lot like a bright red apple!"

Toph gasped, turned away from him, furiously rubbed her bracelet and said curtly, "I'm fine. Just go back to whatever you were doing. Nothing to see over here. Well, I guess that's true in my case but still-" Luckily for her, Sokka interjected and saved her from embarrassing herself.

"Oh good, you two have met. Let me get you up to speed on what's happened so far: a couple of days ago Aang, Katara, Suki, and I arrived at the Fire Nation Royal Palace a few days ago. Zuko had invited us there because he had gotten a message from his mother telling him where she was. So Katara, Suki, Mai and her son stayed behind while Zuko, Aang, Gregor, and I went to Wu Long Forest and found Ursa there. She told us the story of her banishment, then took us up to the top of the mountain range and guess what we found?" He paused in order to build up the suspense before continuing. "We found the Air Nomads! A whole city of them, temples, Airbenders, and sky bison everywhere you looked. Then we met Dreo, that guy who tried helping you out. He's an Airbender, but he's originally from the Fire Nation. He's actually Gregor's little brother. Weird huh? But anyway, Dreo told us his story of how he found the Air Nomads and how they had survived for all of this time. Then he and Gregor fought each other in a contest of their bending skills. It was totally awesome to watch but before the match was over, Aang starts majorly freaking out. He told us that he felt that Katara was in mortal danger and that we had to get back to the palace as soon as possible. So we've been flying for almost six hours straight, but Dreo's helped out a lot by bending a tailwind behind us to help us go faster." The Water Tribe warrior was breathless after his status report to the blind Earthbender, who was quietly taking it all in.

Without looking at Dreo, she asked "So you're an Airbender huh? I guess Aang isn't the only Twinkle Toes around here anymore." But the sound of Dreo's laughter stopped her from saying more.

"That's another thing I've heard about you," snickered the Airbender, "that you've got quite a sense of humor. Just call me Air Boy, and leave Twinkle Toes to the Avatar. It seems more appropriate for him." He then resumed his bending of the tailwind.

Toph was completely stunned. In the course of ten minutes, her world had been turned completely upside-down. But she took an immediate liking to the Air Nomad, and she knew that they would be great friends. They both seemed to have a lot in common, and that very thought was what caused Toph to blush again. Gregor looked on at the two and smiled knowingly.

Zuko, however, wasn't paying attention to Gregor, Sokka, Dreo, and Toph. He was entirely focused on his bald friend flying the bison. Aang was a rigid as a board, and his unwavering gaze scanned the horizon for any sight of the Fire Nation. He had not moved or spoken a word since they had set out from Gufeng, and Zuko was beginning to worry. He pulled up alongside Aang and said, "Don't worry my friend. Katara's a tough girl. She can handle herself. Believe me," he chuckled, "I speak from my own experience with her during the time I spent with her when we looked for her mother's killer. But Mai's no pushover either. If there's one thing that's true about our wives, it's that they are far from helpless. Anyone who would try to kidnap them would be in for a fight." But his words seemed to have no effect on the Avatar. Suddenly the Fire Nation Capital Island loomed into view on the horizon. "See?" he said. "We made it back, and the sun has barely even risen. I'm sure things will be fine." With that, the Fire Lord climbed back into the saddle as Aang brought Appa in for a landing just outside the palace main gates.

As everyone dismounted the bison, Toph crouched down and touched her hand to the earth, focusing her energy and extending her senses all throughout the palace complex. "So I'm looking for four people; Katara, Suki, Mai, and Zuko's kid." After a brief moment of silence, she simply stated, "I can't feel anything. It's like the palace is abandoned or something. No one's here."

Aang tensed up as his bundled-up fear became visible on his face. "Oh no," he barely breathed. He took off in a huge explosion of air and sprinted like the wind through the palace gates. Were his worst fears going to be realized? Had he been right all along about the state of his wife? These thoughts raced through Aang's head as he raced through the palace.

"Come back Twinkle Toes!" Toph shouted as she and Sokka raced after him. Gregor and Dreo started to follow them, but Zuko cut them off before they could go any further.

"I need both of you to go to the prison complex just outside the capital and check on my imprisoned sister, Azula. I have a feeling she's behind whatever events transpired here." Gregor and Dreo nodded and ran off in the opposite direction to the prison. Zuko then followed Sokka and Toph as they tried, unsuccessfully, to keep pace with Aang.

Aang tore through almost every inch of the palace in a matter of moments. With each empty room, his fear began growing more and more severe. As he got closer to the garden, he heard a familiar chartering noise. Momo suddenly swooped in out of nowhere, circled Aang three times, and flew in the direction of the garden. Aang followed his furry friend and burst out into the garden. Momo flew out of the garden towards where Appa had landed. Standing in the middle of the lush garden was a lone man, a man Aang had never seen before. His colors were not like that of any nation, his Firebender armor colored black and purple instead of the usual red of his homeland. He looked like a creature of the night standing in the middle of a verdant garden. But what Aang found most disturbing were his facial features. His hair was blood red, as if he had stained it with the blood of his fallen foes. But the eyes were what Aang found to be the most frightening feature of all. His eyes were like that of a mad demon, without mercy or sanity, eyes that pierced the mind and scrutinized the soul for weak points. While Aang was standing there beholding this nightmare taken human form, Zuko, Sokka, and Toph came up behind him, having finally caught up with him. Aang took a step toward the dark man. "Who are you?" the Avatar angrily demanded.

The mysterious man replied, "Avatar Aang. It is quite an honor to stand in your presence. My master has told me many things about you. One thing I have learned from him is that you refuse to take a life, a value that you demonstrated ten years ago with Fire Lord Ozai. But that left me to ponder something: what would it take for Avatar Aang to willingly take a life?" He was cut short as Aang savagely blasted a jet stream past him, and his blood red hair fluttered like an ominous banner of doom.

"I said, who are you?" exclaimed Aang furiously. "Who do you work for? Tell me!" The Avatar's rage was very close to consuming him as he stared this man down. But the man simply laughed as he stood his ground against the Avatar's hard gaze.

"I am Captain Kongju, and I work for the Dark Legion as its master Firebender. We are a secret organization whose goal is to use the benders of the four nations to make the Avatar, the new Fire Lord, and all their allies suffer for the defeat of the Fire Nation at the end of The War. But that is just one of the many goals of the Dark Legion. We intended to claim the world in the name of our Emperor of Darkness. Our master has spent years formulating his grand scheme, and it shall not fail. But before I depart, I was ordered by an old friend of yours to give you this." He flung an object at Aang so fast that he could hardly see it. When he caught it he looked down to see what it was and his blood froze solid: it was Katara's necklace.

"I also have a message for you: 'The darkness is falling, and it shall first consume the woman you hold most dear to your heart.' There is nothing you can do to save her, Avatar. Farewell!" He laughed manically and ascended into the air on flame jets from his feet. He angled off and flew away from the palace, still laughing as his voice grew dimmer and dimmer.

Zuko, Sokka, and Toph looked at Aang, who was still looking down at the necklace in his hand. He was trembling all over, convulsions racking every muscle in his body as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground. Tears of sorrow and anguish dripped off of his face and splashed into his hand as he sobbed uncontrollably. Over and over again he whispered to himself, "No. This can't be happening!" His sadness and rage continued to build to a critical point, the point of no return. His eyes and tattoos began to glow white as he entered the Avatar State. He looked up to the heavens and bellowed in a chorus of ten thousand voices, "KATARA! WHERE ARE YOU?" But his question went unanswered as Kongju flew further and further away, until he was out of sight completely. Then even louder, he screamed in agony in unison with all of the past Avatars. Still screaming, he punched the earth so hard a deep crater was formed underneath him. Raising his head, he unleashed a long stream of searing flames from his mouth, still screaming in anguish. While he was breathing fire, the water in the pond began to boil and churn, the wind suddenly blew viciously, and the earth began to shake violently. It was as if the very universe was in anguish over Aang's loss.

Zuko, Sokka, and Toph were completely terrified at the sight of their friend, for they had never seen him completely lose control like this before. They were afraid that he was going to demolish the entire palace out of blind rage. But just as they were about to flee, Aang exited the Avatar State and fell silent on his hands and knees. They ran to his side and stooped down on the ground next to him. Tears of loss still flowed from his eyes as he looked at them and said broken heartedly, "They're gone. They're all gone. We were too late." He dropped his head in total defeat, and tears appeared in the eyes of Zuko, Sokka, and Toph. Katara, Suki, Mai, and Sun Tzu were long gone, and now it might be too late to save them from their terrible fate.

* * *

><p>Katara felt very sore and tired as she came to. But as she looked around, she could see that she was not in the garden of the Royal Palace anymore. She could tell through her hazy vision that they were in a far more sinister place. She tried to lethargically move her arms and legs but found that they were chained to the wall, thus rendering her immobile. Suddenly, all of the recent events flashed through her mind: her talking with Mai and Suki, finding Sun Tzu being controlled by Jiliu, Kongju and his dark benders, her fight with Azula, the death threat to her friends and her unborn child, her necklace being stolen, and being struck by Azula. In a moment of panic, she looked down at her stomach expecting it to be flat and void of the life of her unborn child. But to much her relief, her child was still inside of her. Her child had not been harmed yet. Tears of mixed emotion rolled down her face. She was happy that her child had not been killed yet but she was also sad because she knew that her time was limited. "Katara! You're awake! Oh thank goodness!" a voice happily exclaimed in the dark of the cell. Surprised to hear another voice in this dark place, she focused and saw two other chained figures in the cell with her. It was Mai and Suki! Katara was glad to see that her friends were unharmed, but she noticed that someone was missing from their group.<p>

"Where's Sun Tzu?" the Waterbender weakly asked, still recovering from her ordeal at the palace. A choked sob burst forth from Mai, and Katara and Suki looked over at the Fire Lady with concern. When Mai looked up, there were tears dripping down her sad face.

"They put him in a separate cell. I don't know where. Oh, he must be so scared. He's never experienced anything like this in his life," she stammered as her tears were renewed and flowed down her face once more.

Suki tried to comfort the distraught mother by saying, "Hey, don't worry. I'm sure he's fine. We're all getting out of this alive." She looked over and noticed that Katara had lowered her head. "I heard what Azula said to you. She's a horrid monster; she has no respect for life at all. But we're all going to get out of this alive, including your baby. No one is going to die today." But Katara was still down-trodden at the seemingly-inevitable prospect of the death of her child. Redoubling her efforts, Suki shouted, "Hey! Listen to me! You both know as well as I do that Aang, Sokka, and Zuko aren't going to sit idly by and let this go unnoticed. They're coming to rescue us. We just need to hold out for as long as we can until they get here." Suki smiled at her friends and she saw a glimmer of hope spring up inside of them.

Katara shakily sighed and said, "I know that Aang will do whatever it takes to rescue me. He will never abandon me; this I know. I can't give up hope. Aang always makes it in time before bad things happen. I must have undying faith in my husband that he'll come through for us." Her voice grew in confidence as she continued to speak, and her confidence seemed to diffuse into her friends. But just then Katara's voice became shaky again as she said, "But I'm so scared right now. I have never felt so threatened and vulnerable in my whole life. Whoever these people are, they are pure evil. They wouldn't hesitate to cut an unborn child out of the mother's womb before her eyes. I'm afraid for myself, and for my baby." She began crying again as her fear spread throughout her body.

"Katara," said Suki calmly, "we're all concerned for you and your baby. They can't be allowed to go through with this monstrous operation. Aang will come to rescue us, and your child will be born in safety and love, not in this cold place of death and despair. You will be a mother, Katara; I swear this upon my honor as a Kyoshi warrior." She smiled warmly at her friend, but then just as quickly her smile fell again. In a voice barely above a whisper, she said "When they come for you, I'll go in your place." She fell quiet as both Katara and Mai gasped.

"No Suki!" exclaimed an alarmed Katara. "You have your whole life ahead of you. You have Sokka; why would you want to go in my place?" But she was surprised when Suki looked up with tears in her eyes.

"You're my friend, Katara. Also, you have a husband and you're expecting a child. YOU have your whole life ahead of you, and that life is with Aang. But I'm not married to Sokka and I'm not pregnant with his child. He loves me, but he hasn't found it in his heart to propose to me yet. I don't want to be a burden in his life anymore." Katara was stunned to hear the proud Kyoshi warrior say this.

"How can you say that?" Katara asked in disbelief. "Sokka loves you with all of his heart, and I'm sure he wants to be with you. You're not a burden in his life; you're one of the reasons he loves life. As to why he hasn't proposed yet, I'm not sure, but he will eventually ask you to marry him. Just have faith in him, and he'll come through for you. Sokka's never one to disappoint, trust me. But I can see where you're coming from. After I turned sixteen, I kept wondering when Aang was going to propose to me. But I eventually stopped worrying about it because I knew that he loved me and wanted to ask for my hand in marriage in the most special of ways. All I had to do was to wait and see what he would do. He finally did propose to me one day, and the rest is history." She smiled fondly at Suki. "As much as I appreciate your willingness to go in my place to protect me, I can't allow you to do that. It's me they want after all, since I'm the expectant wife of the Avatar. Not to downplay your importance, but you're only Sokka's girlfriend, and Sokka is an ally to Aang. The Avatar and his family are at the top of their hit list, and I'm certain once they're through with me they'll come after Mai and Sun Tzu next." She could feel Mai stiffen across the room. "They'll save you for last, Suki. Even though I'm scared out of my wits right now, I know that Aang will rescue us before they succeed in killing me and my child."

"Are you so sure about that?" Mai asked incredulously. "Not to be a downer, but these people are highly organized and deadly efficient. If the others do come to rescue us, I imagine that they would be in for a fierce fight. They may decide to kill us all at once in that case. Either way, our lives hang in the balance." She paused as she looked down, tears streaming down her face once more. "I just want Sun Tzu to make it out of this alive. Even if I don't survive, I want him to leave this evil place and go on to a better future. He's my only child, and I couldn't bear to lose him. He's my pride and joy, and he takes after his father so much. He would grow up to make a great leader. If something happened to him….." She wasn't able to finish her sentence, but Katara and Suki knew what she had meant to say.

Katara looked up at the dim light coming through the only window on their cell door. The sun had started to rise, its dark red rays reaching over the horizon and grabbing onto every available surface. Tears formed in her eyes as she silently prayed, _Aang, please come rescue us as quickly as you can. You're the only one who can save us from our doom at the hands of these monsters. And when you do find us, I will be waiting for you._ Then she added a firm promise to her prayer: _I will ensure our child survives this ordeal, and after this is over I will never leave your side again. I await you my love. Please hurry. _She let her prayer drift into the air on wings of hope and imagined that it flew through the bars of the cell door and out into the outside world. She smiled, for she knew her prayer would be answered.

* * *

><p>Gregor and Dreo hurriedly arrived at the garden, and both were stunned by what they saw. The Avatar was in the middle of a large crater, and with him were Zuko, Sokka, and Toph. The two brothers ran up to the edge of the crater, and they could see that their friends had tears running down their faces. Gregor wasted no time in reporting what he and Dreo had found at the prison. "Fire Lord Zuko," he said nervously, "it is as you feared. Your sister has escaped from her imprisonment. We also found her guards…" pausing to draw in a shaky breath before continuing, "they were slain by whoever freed Azula from her cell." Even more nervously, he asked, "What has happened here, my lord?" There was utter silence for a few minutes, for not even the birds had stayed to witness the spectacle of the Avatar's raging grief.<p>

Finally, Zuko said in a cracked voice, "My wife and child, along with Suki and Katara, have been captured by an organization called the Dark Legion." Gregor and Dreo eyes widened at this sudden news. "We found one of their men waiting for us here. He said his name was Captain Kongju, and he gave Aang something which caused him to realize what was happening: the necklace of his wife. Before fleeing, Kongju said that the darkness was falling and that it would first consume Katara. After that, Aang lost control and entered the Avatar State and caused all of this." He gestured to the crater he was sitting in. After that, they were silent for another minute.

Suddenly, Gregor gasped and said, "I know who Kongju is! He was part of our Special Forces shock unit, which was known as The Burning Fear, during The War. He was known as the Red Demon, due to his blood red hair and eyes. He's a merciless brute who uses fear to dominate his opponents. He disappeared at the end of The War, and no one has heard from him since. Until now, that is." He looked over at Aang, noticing that he hadn't moved since the two men arrived. "Are you all right, Avatar Aang?" he asked, letting concern flow into his voice.

"I don't know," Aang replied somberly. "My pregnant wife, the love of my life and of my soul, has been taken from me by an evil organization that clearly intends to murder her and everyone else they have taken from here." He stood up and took a deep breath, a breath that cleansed his mind. He said in defiance, "I'm going to stop them. I'll do whatever it takes to get her back, even if it means taking a life to do so." He looked down at the necklace in his hand again. Closing his fingers around it, he silently prayed, _Please let me be able to rescue her in time. I couldn't possibly live without Katara. Give me the strength to accomplish this task that has been set before me, and let my wife be returned safely to my arms._

Dreo stooped down next to Toph and said, "Hey, are you OK? Things must have gotten pretty hairy back there. I want to make sure you're still in one piece." Toph didn't answer the Airbender, tears flowing like a river down her face. Noticing her sadness, he said assuredly, "It'll be OK. We'll get them back." He put a hand on her shoulder, but she surprised him by flinging her arms around him in an embrace. Her face was buried in his chest, tears soaking through his robes. Dreo didn't know what else to do, so he hugged back in an effort to comfort the blind Earthbender. The mood among the six of them was very somber, and an atmosphere of despair seemed to set in.

Suddenly, Sokka blurted out, "I know how we can find them! We can find that lady with the Shirshu, the one Zuko had hired to track us down that one time and helped us to find Iroh in Ba Sing Se during Sozin's Comet. What was her name?" The Water Tribe Warrior began pounding his forehead with a clenched fist as he tried to force any sort of memory or recollection about that specific bounty hunter,

"You mean June?" Zuko said plainly, annoyed at the Water Tribe warrior's ability to remember what he had been like before he joined Team Avatar.

"Yeah! Her Shirshu can track anything. So all we have to do is bring Katara's necklace to her and it can track her to where she was taken by the Dark Legion. It's perfect!" Aang was surprised at his friend's plan, yet glad to see that at least one of them could keep their heads on straight at a time like this. He could always rely on Sokka to be the ideas and plans guy.

"It's not perfect. There's just one problem." Zuko stated plainly. "We don't know where she is. I haven't heard anything about her since The War ended." After he had said this, the group's spirit went down again. But just then, Toph spoke up.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here to tell you where she is," said the blind Earthbender proudly. She quickly detached herself from Dreo. "Whenever I went off alone to find rogue Fire Nation generals, I hired June to help me track them down. We're pretty good friends, and we made a great team. I can tell you that she's in the Earth Kingdom right now, in a small coastal city called Luoshi. It's the likeliest port the Dark Legion would have gone through if they left the Fire Nation Capital by boat." But as she was saying this, a mischievous gleam entered Sokka's eyes.

Sokka said suspiciously, "How would you know where she's at? Maybe you're both in on this kidnapping scheme and are trying to trick us so we can't find the others in time." But before he could say anymore, a small boulder hit him square in the chest and he went flying backwards. He landed hard on the ground twenty feet away with a hard "Oomph!" Everyone looked at Toph in utter shock, for she was the one who had thrown the boulder.

"You fish-brained idiot!" she screamed. "Why would I be involved with this horrible plot? I would never do anything to hurt my friends, especially Katara! She's like a sister to me, and I would never betray her! How could you even say something so horribly stupid and idiotic?" She was staring hard at Sokka, a look of fiery anger in her pale green eyes.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean that. I was just trying to keep things light, that's all." He let out a small yelp and ducked as a smaller boulder went sailing through the spot where his head had been and slammed into the ground behind him. When he looked back at the blind Earthbender, he could see that she was furious.

"How can you even joke at a time like this?" she shouted angrily. "Not only is your girlfriend in serious danger, but so are Aang's wife and unborn child as well as Zuko's wife and his kid! They're going to kill your sister, and you all can do is joke around about me being in on this? You are just so….ugh!" She stormed off towards the outside of the palace where Appa had landed. Dreo looked at Sokka, shrugged, and went chasing after Toph to try and calm her down.

Zuko shook his head and said, "Why is it that almost every time you open your mouth, someone always gets mad at you?" The young Water Tribe warrior grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "Come on," the Fire Lord continued, "we should follow Toph's lead and head for Luoshi as quickly as possible." With that, he and Gregor walked out of the garden, their armor glistening in the morning sun. Aang looked down again at the necklace in his hand, and a look of sadness came over his face once more.

Sokka, having freed himself from the boulder, came up behind Aang and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Aang," he said comfortingly, "we'll find them. Nothing bad is going to happen to Katara as long as you're alive. Am I right?" He smiled at the Avatar, who managed a smile back at the Water Tribe warrior. Aang nodded in agreement, and together they left the serene garden behind.

They all climbed aboard Appa and took off without delay. Dreo was again bending the air behind the sky bison to create a tailwind, and Aang was at the reins. Everyone else was seated in the massive saddle, anxiously wishing for the miles that they had to travel to pass by as quickly as possible. It seemed that Dreo had succeeded in calming Toph down, although that didn't keep Sokka from nervously looking over his shoulder at the blind Earthbender every once in a while. Momo was asleep for most of the journey. Gregor and Zuko were quietly conversing amongst themselves, their serious voices cutting through the silence of the long flight. The hours seemed endless as the sun continuously danced its daily routine in the blue sky above as the day drug on. They ate lunch along the way, which consisted of hard bread and fresh fruit and vegetables, much to Sokka's dismay.

After hours of endless stretches of ocean, a faint land mass appeared over the far horizon. Aang could see that this was the coast line of the Earth Kingdom, and he knew that they were one step closer to accomplishing their rescue mission. "Yip yip!" he cried joyfully, and the mighty sky bison doubled his speed. Soon the great port city of Luoshi loomed into view. Tall mountains surrounded the city on the land, towering over the small city like ancient goliaths. Aang set Appa down outside of the city in a small clearing just outside of the pass that winded in between the mountains. The group dismounted and left Appa and Momo behind as they headed for the pass.

Looking up the sides of the massive mountains on either side of them, Sokka wondered out loud, "I wonder how this town got its name. There certainly doesn't appear to be much around here to name a city after." Suddenly, a massive piece of rock detached from the mountain on their right and plummeted down towards them. Screaming like a little girl, Sokka threw up his arms to protect himself. But Aang and Toph immediately took action, throwing their own rocks to intercept the falling debris and shattered it into tiny pebbles that rained down on them. Sokka was still screaming for a few seconds after it was over until he realized that the danger had passed and quickly stood back up straight, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Trying to cover up for his unmanly act, he said in a falsely accusing tone of voice, "Zuko, why did you have to scream like that? Aang and Toph had the situation totally under control. It's not very manly of the Fire Lord to freak out over a bunch of falling rocks." The Fire Lord scowled angrily at him, and the Water Tribe warrior's feigned accusation faltered. The sound of Toph's cackling laughter pierced the awkward silence that had ensued.

"I guess Twinkle Toes isn't the only girly man in the group anymore," she laughed. At this, both Aang and Sokka started fuming and turned red in the face, but Toph didn't notice either of them doing this. "Luoshi means 'falling rock' and the city got its name from the constant rock falls and landslides that these mountains are always producing. They have a whole squad of specialized Earthbenders to combat these natural threats." The group moved on towards the city, Toph leading the way.

Close to the center of the city they came upon a small tavern called 'The Prancing Fish-Pony'. It seemed like any other tavern in the Earth Kingdom, with seedy low-lifes and drunks crowding the inside and bar fights almost everyday. The group entered into the tavern, and they could see men sitting at the bar drinking their beverages, others sitting at tables playing Pai Sho or cards, and others just sitting around talking in gruff voices. Gregor shook his head and commented, "This is certainly the place one would want to look if they wanted to hire the criminal type for a dirty job. Most of these people are just sad, pathetic excuses for men, while others are ruthless killers. I advise caution."

Looking over at the bar they saw June sitting there, sipping on specially brewed liquor. Her black hair was as dark as her personality, and the snake tattoo on her left arm glared at the heroes. When the group walked over to her, she looked up and said plainly, "Well, if it isn't my old partner Toph. How are you, honey?" She took another sip of her alcoholic beverage, although there was a slight hint of a smile on her face.

"Eh, the usual," Toph said, shrugging nonchalantly. "Listen, I have a personal favor to ask of you. Some friends of ours have been kidnapped by a secret organization that clearly intends to murder them. We need you to help us track them down so we can rescue them before that happens. I'll make sure you're well compensated for you assistance." She tossed a medium-sized bag of gold pieces on the bar in front of June and waited for a response from her.

Surprisingly, she pushed the bag away and said, "No need to pay me. This one's on me. I'll help you out, but first I need something to track them. If you've got nothing for me, well I'm afraid can't help you." With that, she swigged down more of her liquor.

Aang stepped forward and presented her with Katara's necklace. "This belongs to my pregnant wife. She was one of people taken by the secret organization Toph mentioned earlier." But June's eyes widened as she eyed the necklace, as if it were a relic of a not-so distant past.

"I remember this necklace," she said. "It was from that Water Tribe girl Zuko had me track down." She looked to Zuko and said, "Guess she wasn't your girlfriend after all." Zuko blushed as an embarrassed look came across his face. She looked back to Aang and said, "I had no idea that you guys had married. And you're also expecting a kid. This must be pretty serious then. Who else was taken?"

"They took my girlfriend, Suki. She's a Kyoshi warrior." said Sokka.

"They also took my wife, Mai, and my son, Sun Tzu." added Zuko.

"My my, Fire Lord Zuko. I didn't know you were married too." She chuckled and said to the Avatar and the Fire Lord, "You two sure have been busy since the end of the war." Her serious look returned as she said, "Whoever took your friends must be serious about their intentions as well as whatever their goals and plans are, otherwise they wouldn't go through this much trouble to make a statement." She took the necklace carefully out of Aang's hand and said, "Follow me." They followed her out into a back alley stable at the rear of the tavern. Aang pulled out his bison whistle and blew into it to call Appa to him. He had a feeling they would be departing soon.

In the stable was Nyla, June's Shirshu. When he "saw" the group coming, he stood up, as if he was expecting food from his master. June walked up to the fearsome beast and said affectionately, "Who's my Snuffly-Wuffly? You are, yes you are," while she petted her mount. Nyla growled in a friendly tone and nuzzled June. June held up the necklace for Nyla to scent just as Appa landed behind the group. After a few moments of sniffing, Nyla bared his fangs. He had acquired the scent trail. After giving Aang back the necklace, June hopped onto the saddle on Nyla's back and whipped him into action. Nyla sped off while the gang quickly mounted Appa and took off as well. They headed through the mountain pass and into the wilderness. Aang's entire focus was on the bounty hunter below him, but he allowed himself one brief glance at Katara's necklace. _I'm coming Katara,_ he silently thought. The midday sun shone bright on the land, as if it were a beacon of hope for all to see.

* * *

><p>Katara, Suki, and Mai spent most of day in their cell, watching the sun outside dip below its climax and the sky began to darken in its red luster as the afternoon drug on. Only a couple of times during the day, their guards had opened the cell door to feed them and give them something to drink. The food tasted rotten and the water was stale, so the women didn't eat or drink that much. The guards were just like everyone else in the Dark Legion; cold-blooded, heartless, and merciless. They laughed at how weak the women were in their current situation and told them that no one was coming to save them. But they refused to listen to their captors, for they knew in their hearts that their friends were on the way to save them.<p>

Late in the afternoon, Kongju walked into the cell. "I trust that you all are comfortable?" he asked. When they didn't respond to him, he calmly said "I suppose so. Unfortunately for you, that won't last. You're coming with me, Waterbender. We must begin the procedure before the Avatar arrives." Katara's eyes betrayed nothing as Kongju walked up to unlock her chain bindings. But as he got close to her, she spat in his face. The evil Firebender reeled back and cursed as he wiped the spittle off his face. When he looked back at Katara, his red eyes were full of anger and spite. In one swift motion, he grabbed Katara's throat and constricted her airways. "Listen to me carefully, you impudent Water Tribe peasant," he seethed, "this will be a lot less painful for you if you just cooperate. There is no point in resisting; your fate has been sealed, and your husband will not make it in time. Besides, we must begin the procedure right away. But don't worry; you'll have plenty of time to think about how your husband failed you." He let go of her neck, and she gasped for air, but defiance still burned deep inside of her. She was let out of her bindings and escorted to the cell door by Kongju with her hands bonded behind her back.

As he led Katara away, Suki suddenly yelled frantically, "No Katara! You can't go! Think about Aang; he's going to make it! Think about the baby!" But she was shocked to see that when Katara turned back, there were tears in her eyes. There seemed to be a look of sad acceptance in her face, as if she had known that this may be the last time she would see her friends. Suki saw the look on Katara's face, and she understood what it meant. She hung her head down sadly and cried bitterly as the Dark Legion took Katara away. Mai couldn't bring herself to look either, for she was also crying.

As the dark men led Katara, she could see that she was being held in some kind of small fortress. Everywhere see looked, all she saw were the shades of black and purple which adorned almost every available surface of the fortress. The columns seemed to be comprised of bones carved out of black marble. The bones were shaped like human bones, with arms, legs, and even skulls with their empty sockets staring at the frightened Waterbender. But even more terrifying were the colorful artistic depictions of death on the walls. There were scenes of soldiers slaughtering hundreds of innocent people, a Firebender engulfing a whole city in flames, a Waterbender drowning an entire army, an Earthbender crushing entire groups of refugees with rock slides, and even an Airbender completely destroying a gigantic palace with a massive tornado. The most disturbing of these was the one at the end of the corridor, which depicted a dark man adorned in nightmarish armor and a crown of evil standing triumphantly over a dead Airbender. She realized with horror that the Airbender was Aang. Who were these people, and what did they want with Aang? She was afraid she wasn't going to find out anytime soon, for these next few hours could be her last.

Just underneath the picture of the dark man standing over a dead Aang was a small doorway with a metal door. When they entered into it, Katara could see that this was where the procedure was to take place. There was a single solitary table, complete with metal arm and leg restraints, in the middle of the dungeon-like chamber. She could see various sharp cutting implements hanging above the table, and she realized with fear that these tools were what they were going to use for the procedure. But the worst thing of all was Azula standing by the table, a look of pure evil on her demented face. "So good to see that you could make it, Katara. Let's make you comfortable, shall we?" She nodded to Kongju and his escorts, who put Katara onto the table and locked her arms and legs in with metal clasps. After this was done, Azula said, "We must take at least an hour to prepare for the procedure. Certain precautions, divinations, and measurements of a mystical sort have to be taken to ensure the success of the procedure. Don't go anywhere, okay?" She laughed and exited the room with Kongju and his guards, leaving Katara alone on the table.

Once they had left, Katara allowed all of her bundled-up emotions to finally pour out. She began crying uncontrollably, her sobs sending racking convulsions throughout her body. After all she had been through in her life, was it going to end like this? Was she going to die disgracefully, cut open like some animal and the life taken out of her by force? Was she ever going to see her beloved husband again? Endless questions raced through her saddened mind as she prepared herself for what was going to happen to her. _Aang,_ she thought silently, _I know that you and the others are on the way. Please hurry as fast as the wind can carry you. But if you cannot reach me in time, know this: I am glad to have known you. You're my best friend in the whole world and I love you with all my heart and all of my soul. I will always be a part of who you are, just as you are a part of me. Remember me by everything you loved about me, and when you pass on we will be together again. That is my final wish: never forget me for as long as you live. _She paused before continuing her thoughts. _But I know that you will do everything in your power to ensure that I survive. I will never give up hope as long as you live, my love. I will see you soon._ Ending her trail of thoughts, she cried for a long time to ensure that all of the sadness would be completely leaked out of her body should her final time come.

* * *

><p>"Is this the place?" Aang asked June. They had all stopped about a mile from their destination, which was a dark fortress that loomed over the horizon. It had taken them about four hours to get there from Luoshi, and this fortress was deep in wilderness, far away from prying eyes. Aang knew that this had to be the place where the Dark Legion took Katara and the others; if it wasn't, then they had failed. But a Shirshu's nose is never to be doubted.<p>

"Yeah, sure is. Nyla's getting twitchy so it means we're close. I would have to guess that they've got your wife locked up in there." She paused to see if Aang would say anything, which he didn't. "Well, my work here is done," she said. She turned Nyla around to leave, but before she left, she said to Aang, "Go get your girl back, kid. She's waiting for you to fly in and whisk her off to safety. Give her my best, will you?" She winked at Aang and then whipped Nyla, causing the Shirshu to take off like a sprinter and quickly vanish into the thick underbrush.

Everyone looked to Aang for the next part of the plan. They had come this far and now that their goal was in sight they needed to know the plan of attack. Finally, he said "We're going to storm that fortress and free Katara and the others. It's too small for us to sneak into undetected, so a frontal assault is our only option. We're all skilled fighters; we shouldn't have any trouble handling them." He looked up at the group and said, "Toph, you take Dreo and hit them from the left side. Sokka, take Gregor and flank right. Zuko and I will assault the main gate. Hit them with everything we have and don't give them a chance to breathe. Now move out." With that the group spilt up, Dreo and Toph going left while Sokka and Gregor went to the right. Zuko stayed behind to support Aang.

The Fire Lord looked at the Avatar and asked, "Are you ready for this? We don't know what we're up against. It could be a trap." But the Avatar had a look of deadly seriousness on his face. Zuko had seen that look before on his friend, and he knew that there was no fooling around to be had at that moment.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," he said firmly. "We have to save them no matter what the cost." He drew in a nervous breath and said, "Enough talk; let's get down to business. Our wives are waiting for us." The two men smiled at one another, relishing the thought of being reunited with their wives. Aang brandished his staff, which had been in Appa's saddle, and took off toward the dark fortress with the Fire Lord at his side.


	6. Chapter Five: The Rescue

I'm back once again to bring you more of my epic fanfic. :) This time around, however, things will be a different story. While reading FrodoTheHutt's Book 4 fanfic, I came upon his Aang/Katara engamement story. I thought it was so beautiful that I decided to adapt it to suit my own needs. Credit goes to FrodoTheHutt for giving me the idea of using this. This chapter is just over 10,000 words, one of my longest chapters so far. Lots of action and suspense to be had, as well as a few surprise twists. Enjoy the read and please review so I know what you think of this chapter. This chapter was a lot of fun to write, full of love and happiness as well as anger and sadness. Again, please share your thoughts with me. I love to hear feedback from all of you. :)

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Five: The Rescue**

_The South Pole: Two Years Ago_

Sitting at the edge of a glacier, the Avatar allowed himself to simply enjoy the frozen scenery laid out before him. Despite the slightly chilling winds, he was happy to just sit there and enjoy being alive. He felt at home in the South Pole. He actually could call the South Pole his home, for he had decided to settle there and live with Katara, Sokka, Suki, and the rest of the village. But this place was much more than just home to Aang. The cold, harsh land seemed to isolate him from the rest of the world, giving him a chance to catch his breath and to relax for a while. The last few years had been quite stressful indeed because of efforts to capture rogue Fire Nation generals still on the run and also to establish and maintain diplomatic relations between the different nations. But Aang had decided that he needed some time away from all of that, and his friend Zuko understood his intentions and allowed him to do so.

Today, however, was going to be very different than most other days. Aang could feel the subtle change in the cold air that he breathed in. Today, everything was going to change. He knew exactly what this change would bring, and he allowed himself a smile.

"Hey Aang, can I ask you a question?" called out a voice from behind him. Following the voice were quick footsteps that crunched heavily into the snow. Looking behind him, Aang could see Katara running towards him. Today was a slightly warmer day than usual, and Katara had on her light blue fur coat and heavy boots. The hood of her coat was down, allowing her gorgeous hair and braided hair loops to blow freely in the gentle breeze. Aang pushed himself up with a gentle gust of air and landed softly on his feet.

"What is it, Katara?" asked Aang. He knew that something was wrong just by looking at his girlfriend. Not only did her physical being indicate that she was upset, but Aang could also feel her distress on an emotional level. Katara stopped a few steps before him, a look of frustration in her eyes.

"It's my mother's necklace….I just can't find it!" she said in an annoyed tone, and she stamped her foot in angry frustration. A small clod of snow burst out of the ground under her feet and landed in the water behind Aang, shattering the tranquil surface with violent ripples. "When I woke up this morning, I realized that I wasn't wearing it. I tore through my whole house at least three times looking for it, and it wasn't there. I came out here to ask if you had seen it. I know that I was wearing it at the party last night, and I still had it on when I went over to your house afterwards." She blushed as she looked down at the ground, bewildered and embarrassed by her situation.

"No, I can't say that I have seen it," earnestly replied the Avatar. "But there was a lot going on last night. After all, it was your birthday." He smiled at the Waterbender, who managed a nervous smile back at him. He chuckled and said, "Remember when Sokka dressed up like a polar leopard and tried to steal all the seal blubber jerky for himself? I mistook him for an actual polar leopard and blasted him out of your house so fast that he went spinning in the snow for almost a mile." He chuckled again at the ridiculousness of that situation. Katara could only manage a slight chuckle, for she was still distracted by her own plight.

"So you haven't seen it…Well, I guess I'll just have Sokka help me find it. I already told him it was missing." Still blushing, she looked up at Aang and said, "Thanks anyway. I guess I should be getting back now." She turned and began to walk back in the direction of the village.

"Wait a minute!" Aang called after her as he ran up behind her and put a firm hand on her shoulder, which caused the Waterbender to turn and look at him. "I know how much that necklace means to you," he said, "and I want to help you find it. If the two of us work together, we'll find it twice as fast!" Katara's blush reddened even more and she began rubbing her arm hesitantly.

"No Aang," she half-heartedly retorted, "I don't want to waste your entire day. You have much better things to do than to help me find my necklace." Her blue eyes stared deep into his gray eyes, trying to silently convince him.

"Katara, a day spent with you isn't wasted. I would love to help you find something that means so much to you. After all, how hard can it be to find a necklace?" He smiled confidently at her, causing her to blush even more. Stepping back from her, he conjured up an air scooter and sped away. "Race you to my place!" he called behind him as he flew over the ice and snow.

Katara laughed happily and shouted after him, "Oh no you don't! You're on!" Leaping up into the air, a sheet of flowing ice appeared below her feet. She landed and sped off on an ice slide after the Avatar, who was just a speck in the distance now.

_Dark Legion Fortress: Present Day_

Aang and Zuko were hiding in the bushes just outside of the fortress gates. The fortifications were massive, at least fifty feet high with battlements everywhere. The gates themselves were large and imposing, and it seemed that they would be impossible to break through without using brute force or overwhelming firepower. Zuko looked and Aang and said, "It's time to begin the attack. I'll bring down the gate. You fly overhead and hit them from above when I open the gate." Aang nodded, but there was a look of uncertainty in his eyes. Noticing this, the Fire Lord said, "Don't worry Aang. Katara's going to be fine. It'll take a lot more than some low-life kidnappers to take her down. Now get going; we've got work to do." Aang changed his staff into glider mode and soared into the air like an eagle.

Zuko stepped out of the bushes and positioned himself in front of the fortress walls, allowing himself to be seen by the enemy and draw attention away from Aang. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath to channel his energy. Snapping his eyes open, he thrust forward with his right hand and a straight line of mini-explosions rippled out of it as he superheated the air. Suddenly, a massive explosion engulfed the gates, the flames reaching up to the parapets above. With a great crashing fall, the gates were blown apart and debris rained down everywhere. The Fire Lord rushed through the destroyed gates on jets of flame which spewed out of his hands and feet.

At the moment the gates were blown apart, Aang descended rapidly and landed into the courtyard to assess the situation. Looking around, he could see about twenty men, various benders and warriors, who were training just before the explosion. They all wore their standard black and purple colors, although each bender and warrior was dressed in the style of their home nation. Aang could see that there were Firebenders and Waterbenders as well as warriors from the Water Tribes and the Fire Nation. One of the Dark Legion Firebenders pointed at Aang and shouted, "It's the Avatar! Kill him!" He shot a fireball at Aang, but it was intercepted by another fireball before it even got close to him. Aang didn't have to look behind him to see Zuko rushing to his aid. He knew it was Zuko who had stopped the enemy fireball. Now the Avatar and the Fire Lord stood side-by-side, the two men facing down the Dark Legion.

Four Firebenders jumped forward and shot long streams of flames at them. Suddenly, a rock wall erected itself in front of the two and blocked the deadly flames. All at once, a massive gust of wind swept the four Firebenders off their feet and threw them to the far side of the courtyard. Aang and Zuko looked to their left just in time to see Toph and Dreo descend into the courtyard. When they landed, they both took up their fighting stances. "Hey Twinkle Toes," Toph shouted, "trying to start the party without us?" Directing her attention to the enemy, she said bluntly, "All right, which one of Dark Legion scumbags wants a butt kicking first? I'll take you all on at once!"

One of the Waterbenders stepped forward and conjured up water tendrils with water from the reservoir in the middle of the courtyard. At the tips of the tendrils, the water was frozen to create slashing ice tips. As he began to lash at Toph and Dreo, a black blur zoomed in from above and knocked the Waterbender out in one shot. He fell to ground and the water tendrils disintegrated. "Oh yeah! Score one for Space Boomerang!" shouted Sokka from above. He was being carried down by Gregor who was descending with flame jets coming out of his feet. Sokka caught his boomerang in mid-air, a look of pride on his face. When they landed, Gregor took his fighting stance and Sokka drew his new Space Sword. "Now the party really starts!" shouted Sokka excitedly.

Aang stepped forward and said to the Dark Legion troops, "Stand down, you vile men. You cannot defeat us. We are Team Avatar, the most powerful group of benders and warriors on the planet. If you surrender, you will be spared the pain that will undoubtedly come to you. Now where are the prisoners you took from the Fire Nation Royal Palace?" But much to his surprise, the Dark Legion troops began to laugh at him as if he had said something utterly ridiculous. The members of Team Avatar looked on at their enemy in confusion. Why would they be laughing at a time like this?

One of the Waterbenders, who had a diagonal scar across his face, stepped forward and said, "My name is Jiliu, and I am the Dark Legion's most powerful Waterbender. I am in command of the men in this courtyard. I was also there to kidnap the women and the Fire Nation Prince from the palace." As he said this, Aang's eyes widened. "The reason why we're laughing," he said with a sneer, "is because we will never surrender to the scum who led to the Fire Nation's defeat at the end of The War. The Fire Nation wanted to spread their wealth and prosperity to the whole world, but you and Fire Lord Zuko decided to interfere and end that glorious dream. Now we will take the world back, but this time in the name of the Dark Legion! Our Emperor of Darkness will rule the world with an iron fist! All hail the Emperor!" He and his men began cheering and shouting praise to their master. Aang had never seen anything like this in his life.

Aang was growing impatient. Every second they wasted here was another second that the others were still in mortal danger. He stomped his foot, which sent out a shockwave that knocked over the Dark Legion troops, and shouted angrily, "ENOUGH! Tell me where my wife is!" But Jiliu began laughing grimly as he stood back up, a laugh that sent chills down Aang's spine.

"Oh yes," he mused, "the pregnant Waterbender. Our master has something special in mind for her. Princess Azula and Captain Kongju will soon begin a procedure to ensure that your spawn does not infest the world of our master. There is nothing you can do to save her." He began laughing manically as Aang's blood turned to stone. Aang's rage began building, and suddenly he Earthbended a rock in front of him and launched it at Jiliu with all his strength. It hit the evil Waterbender in the chest and shattered, the force of the impact sending him flying across the courtyard. He landed hard on the ground, but he jumped back up as if nothing had happened.

He spat a spittle of blood out of his mouth and laughed. "Yes, Avatar! Let your rage consume you! Our master feeds off of your negative emotions! Every time you grow angry or spiteful, his power increases!" He signaled to his men and yelled, "Attack, soldiers of darkness! Leave no survivors!" The Dark Legion troops split off into three groups of ten, each composed of five benders and five warriors, and went after each duo from Team Avatar.

The first group reached Sokka and Gregor, and the three Firebenders in the group shot fireballs at them. But Gregor easily deflected two of the burning spheres and smoothly redirected the third one at a Fire Nation warrior, which caused him to become incapacitated immediately. Sokka engaged the rest of the warriors while Gregor fought against the remaining benders. Gregor assumed the stance of the Octopus Fighting Form and instead of tentacles of water surrounding him, tendrils of fire sprouted and took form. The Dark Legion benders faltered at the sight of this flaming beast, but their hesitation was all the time Gregor needed. Sweeping his arms in front of him, the two most front tendrils swept away the benders in a single stroke. The Waterbenders recovered their footing and conjured up water tendrils with the icicle edges to combat Gregor. They lashed out in an attempt to cut the Fire Nation general with their deadly weapons.

Gregor raised up his arms and his fiery tendrils clashed with their water tendrils, causing steam to rise after they collided. By this time, the Firebenders had recovered and shot long streams of flame at Gregor. But he noticed their attack and raised up his hands as if he were drawing up water, and his fiery creature transformed into a wave of flame. The enemy attack was blocked, and Gregor countered by stepping forward with his right foot and brought his hands down in a pushing motion. The wave surged forward towards the Dark Legion benders, looks of terror on their evil faces. They retreated from the approaching waves, and Gregor allowed himself a confident smile.

Sokka was holding his own against the warriors, parrying his foes again and again as they continually rushed at him. Sokka smiled to himself; his training with Master Piandao was paying off for him. The warriors were excellent fighters, but Sokka was even better than all of them combined. Out of the five that had first attacked him, only two were still conscious.

Another group of benders and warriors, this time three Waterbenders and two Firebenders, attacked Dreo and Toph. Dreo stepped forward to attack, but Toph threw an arm in front of him to stop him. "Wait," she said, "I need to be able to feel where they are." Dreo blushed slightly as he took a step back and allowed Toph to do her work. Toph extended her seismic senses throughout the ground in front of her, and she could feel the Dark Legion troops approaching. She smiled grimly and said proudly, "They're mine." She stomped her foot and four rocks shot up out of the ground in front of her. In a flurry of quick punches, she sent them flying at the enemy.

Two of the rocks hit Water Tribe warriors while a third hit a Waterbender. The last rock was also flying towards a Waterbender, however he was ready for it. He had bended water around his arms and froze them to create ice claws. With a single slashing motion, he demolished the incoming projectile with ease. He then threw his frozen gauntlets at Toph in order to impale her. But she stomped her foot and raised her arms in front of her, and a stone wall erected itself in front of the blind Earthbender, halting the flying projectiles of death as they shattered against the hard stone.

Dreo then jumped over the wall and blasted streams of air from his palms, blowing the enemy back fifteen feet. Toph crashed through her wall and took her place beside Dreo, ready to fend off the Dark Legion troops. The Airbender looked at her and confidently said, "I can hold my own in a fight. Step aside and watch a pro at work." It took him a moment to realize how stupid his comment had sounded and he blushed, although Toph didn't seem to notice this. "Umm," he stammered nervously, "just…let me, uh, show you…what I can do." He regained his composure and began spinning his arms around so a ball of air formed in his hands. He waited for the attacking enemy to come close enough before unleashing it, and when they did he knocked out the remaining three Fire Nation warriors. He stood up and smiled confidently. He looked at Toph and said cockily, "Beat that, Blind Bandit." But Toph stepped forward and cracked her knuckles, ready to fight.

She stomped with her right foot and moved her hands apart as if she were ripping something apart. Instantly the ground beneath the remaining four benders opened up like a menacing maw of doom, causing them to fall into it. Toph then curled up her right arm and punched upward, catapulting the Dark Legion troops across the courtyard and landing in a great heap of arms and legs. She turned to a dumbfounded Dreo and said, "Beat you, Air Boy." She rushed off to assist Gregor and Sokka, leaving an awestruck Airbender behind.

Dreo could only stand there and watch the blind Earthbender as she went. "That's some woman," he quietly mused to himself. He had never seen a girl quite like Toph in his whole life. She was an incredible person who could be as hard and unmovable as a rock and yet still have feelings underneath her rocky exterior. He found it somewhat attractive, but he finally shook off his numbness and sprinted off to join her.

The final group of Dark Legion troops, again five warriors as well two Waterbenders and three Firebenders, attacked Aang and Zuko. But it was Fire Lord who struck the first blow as he shot fireballs at the warriors, knocking out three of them. The Waterbenders, one of whom was Jiliu, struck out with their ice-tipped whips, but Aang smoothly dissolved them and redirected the new stream of water at the remaining warriors, taking them out of the fight. A heated battle was raging between Zuko and the enemy Firebenders, fireballs and streams of flame being fired furiously from both sides. Zuko launched a powerful kick at one of the Dark Legion Firebenders, knocking the dark soldier back several feet. But the enemy soldier recovered and launched a long stream of flame at the Fire Lord, who blocked it with ease.

The enemy Waterbenders struck at Aang with jets of water, which the Avatar blocked with a mound of raised earth. He began punching and kicking the rocky mass in front of him, launching rocks from his defensive position at the Dark Legion Waterbenders. Jiliu easily dodged and cut through several flying rocks with a water whip, but his comrade was hit and went down like a sack of bricks. Aang pushed his arms out to the side and the rock formation split in two, circling into Jiliu's blind spot. Bringing his arms back together, Aang sent the two halves racing towards Jiliu. The rocks collided against Jiliu and formed a rocky shell that trapped the evil Waterbender. No matter how hard he struggled he could not break free. Aang strode up to the helpless man and pointed his staff at him, rage filling his gray eyes. "I will only ask you this one time," said the Avatar in a threatening voice. "Where…is…my…wife?" He continued to stare at Jiliu in an attempt to intimidate him, but the evil man only laughed contemptuously at his captor. Zuko appeared by Aang's side, having just finished off the remaining two Firebenders.

"Have you truly not figured it out yet?" laughed Jiliu. "You cannot save her in time, not before the procedure is complete. But if you hurry, you might just get a chance to see her die in front of you and watch as the life leaves her eyes forever!" He began laughing manically as Aang's fear overtook his rage and anger.

"I refuse to let that happen!" shouted the Avatar. "I will save her, and I will bring down your dark organization piece by corrupted piece!" He looked at the fortress and shouted, "Katara! I'm coming for you! Just hang on a bit longer!" He then took off in a burst of air, his Airbending as well as his fear fueling his mad dash as he raced towards the entrance of the fortress.

Sokka, Gregor, Toph, and Dreo appeared by Zuko's side, having dispatched the remaining enemy forces. They began to run after the Avatar when Toph suddenly yelled, "Wait!" She then dropped to ground and put her hand to the ground. Her eyes widened as she said, "Enemy reinforcements are inbound. I'm counting maybe two, no, three times the amount of troops that we fought here, and they're closing in fast!" Everyone in the group looked at Zuko, waiting for him to issue a command.

"Gregor and Dreo," said the Fire Lord with authority, "you two should stay behind and fend off the enemy reinforcements while Sokka, Toph, and I go to rescue the others. I have a feeling that we'll need Toph's metalbending skills. Make sure none of them get through to us. Is that understood?" He looked at the two brothers for a response. There was a look of certainty and strength in their fierce eyes.

Gregor bowed to Zuko and said steadfastly, "There is no need to worry, my lord. We're two master benders; no one will interrupt your rescue. We will guard this courtyard with our lives." Dreo nodded in affirmation of what his brother had said.

Zuko walked up to Gregor and put a hand on his general's shoulder. "Let us hope it does not come to that, my old friend." He looked to Sokka and Toph and shouted, "Let's go!" The three of them took off toward the fortress as Gregor and Dreo turned to face the incoming assault that was pouring through the destroyed gate. The thundering steps of an approaching army echoed through the courtyard, but the two brothers were not afraid.

The two brothers took up their fighting stances and smiled at one another, relishing the moment. "I think we should see who gets the most, a little competition if you will. What do you say, Dreo?" said Gregor.

They both laughed, their brotherly bond growing even stronger and giving each other strength. Dreo was still laughing as he said, "You're on, Hot Head. I bet I'll get at least twenty of them." And with that they launched themselves into the fray.

Aang burst through the fortress entrance with a thunderous crash, the sound echoing throughout the sinister place. Silently Aang thought to himself, _I'm here now, Katara. We'll be together soon, and I'll take you far away from this place of death. Stay strong, my dear._ He continued forward as he doubled his speed, racing like a violent gust in a summer storm.

_The South Pole: Two Years Ago_

"It has to be around here somewhere," said Aang imperatively, "we just have to keep looking." Despite hours of searching throughout Aang's house, they were coming up empty-handed everywhere they looked. Aang's house was built into the side of an ice cliff just outside of the main village. He had brought in furniture from the Earth Kingdom so that he would have something dry in this frozen land of ice and snow. He and Katara were in the main room of his house, which had a couple of sofas, a small table, and many bookshelves. His staff rested in a corner and a comprehensive map of the world hung on the wall, a reminder of the Avatar's duty to the entire world. He had a stable built next to his house on the cliffside for Appa and Momo, which was where the two animals were now sleeping peacefully. Katara and Aang had already searched the other rooms of the house and had made their way into the main room.

Katara had just finished rummaging through a box when she looked up and sighed. "It's no use," she muttered, "my necklace isn't here." She stood up and shook her head in frustration. "How could I have been so stupid as to lose it?" she scolded herself. "I always have that necklace on me at all times. It doesn't seem possible that it's gone. It's like I'm losing my mother all over again." As she said this, she looked down sadly and tears began to appear in her eyes.

Aang noticed her tears and was quickly at her side. "Hey, don't cry," he said comfortingly, "we'll find it. I said I was going to help you find it, and I won't rest until it's found." He smiled at her as he wiped away her tears. Katara tried to manage a smile, but she couldn't bring herself to do so.

"Aang…it doesn't matter how many people we have looking for it," she said dejectedly. "I'm afraid this time that it's lost for good." Tears reappeared in her eyes as she hugged Aang for support. He hugged her back, concern welling up deep within his soul for his girlfriend. She was taking this loss very hard.

"What's lost for good?" came a familiar voice from the stairwell. The couple turned and saw Chief Hakoda walking into the main room. The hardened warrior had aged slightly over the years, with near indistinguishable streaks of gray running through his brown hair, but in his eyes was still the fierce blaze of battle. He was wearing a dark blue jacket similar to the style of the members of the Northern Water Tribe along with rugged hunting boots. He noticed his daughter's melancholy expression and asked, "What's wrong, Katara? Did something happen?" Katara inhaled an unsteady breath as she tried, rather unsuccessfully, to compose herself.

"I lost Mom's necklace," she said in a cracked voice. "I woke up this morning and it was gone. We don't know where it is." She closed her eyes and buried her face into Aang's chest, sobbing quietly into the Avatar's robes. Aang hugged Katara closer to him, letting his love and tranquility flow into her. Hakoda looked on at the scene thoughtfully, obviously concerned.

"Did you by chance tell Sokka that it was missing?" he asked. Katara brought her sad eyes into contact with her father and nodded. "I noticed that he and Suki were looking all over the village for something, but I wasn't sure what it was." He paused before continuing on, choosing his words carefully. "I know how hard this must be for you, Katara, but you don't have to blame yourself-" he had begun to say before she cut him off.

"It's completely my fault, Dad!" she shouted miserably, tears of intense sorrow streaming down her face as she tore herself away from Aang and faced her father. "I've been wearing that necklace every day since Mom died as a reminder of what she did for me. To lose it would be the ultimate disrespect to her memory! What kind of daughter would I be if I just forget everything that she has done for me? She gave her life to protect me, and this is how I repay her?" She couldn't bring herself to say anymore as she covered her face with her hands and buried her face deep into Aang's chest, sobbing uncontrollably as she poured out in her raging grief. Aang's face was full of worry for Katara as he embraced her, for he had never seen her overcome with this much grief before.

"Katara," said Hakoda firmly, "you are not a terrible daughter. You have made me so proud over the years with all you and your friends have accomplished. I know that your mother's death has affected you more than the rest of the family, but Sokka and I share your grief." He looked down somberly as he added, "Kya was a special woman. She was kind, compassionate, and full of love yet she could stand up for herself and was fiercely determined not to let anyone push her around." He looked back up at his daughter as he said, "You remind me a lot of her. I know she would also be proud as I am at the fine young woman you've become." Katara looked up from her boyfriend's chest, wet lines trailing down her face. She detached herself from Aang and faced her father, still shaking slightly from her sobbing.

"That necklace is only a part of her memory," he continued. "Your mother will always live on in here," he said as he pointed at Katara's heart, her eyes following his finger. "As long as she lives in your heart, her memory will never die. Understand?" Katara looked back up at her father, tears starting to form in her eyes again. He smiled and began to wipe away his daughter's tears, but before he could she fiercely hugged him. The Water Tribe Chief was surprised at first, but then he hugged his daughter back.

He looked at the Avatar, and an understanding seemed to pass between them. "You know," Hakoda said thoughtfully, "there is one place that you could check for the necklace: Glacier Point. The sun's about to go down and maybe the dim rays of light may glint off of it in the snow." He watched as his daughter looked up skeptically at him. "Who knows," he said innocently, "it may just be there. It wouldn't hurt to look right?" He looked again at Aang, trying to communicate wordlessly between the two of them.

Aang's face lit up with a big grin. "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't I think to look there before? If the necklace isn't anywhere in the village or my house, it could be there. We were there last night after the party." Katara shot her boyfriend the same skeptical look that she had given her father.

"But I don't remember ever going to Glacier Point at all last night," countered the Waterbender. "And besides, how could it be there if I remember wearing it to your house?" She was beginning to feel that something strange was going on. There was something weird about how the two men were acting, but she couldn't put her finger on what exactly it was.

"Oh, well there was a lot happening last night," said Aang nonchalantly. "Your memory might just be a little bit jumbled up. You just probably don't remember going there because it wasn't important. Although while we were there, I saw some penguins swimming through the water. We were there for a little while just enjoying the view, nothing important." Katara dropped her skeptical look as she relaxed, for she trusted in him more than anything in the world.

"I suppose you're right," she mused. But then she looked up excitedly and said, "But let's go! We have to find my mother's necklace!" Aang nodded happily and conjured up an air scooter and swept up Katara in his arms. They sped out the front door, Katara calling out behind her, "We'll see you there Dad!" The Water Tribe Chief could hear his daughter's voice grow dimmer and dimmer as they got further and further away form Aang's house. Hakoda watched as the young couple disappeared into the distance, a smile on his knowing face.

_Dark Legion Fortress: Present Day_

Aang continued racing through the dark fortress, searching every door he came across for any signs of his captured friends and wife. With each empty room he came upon his fear became increasingly higher, threatening to consume him. He refused to be too late, to be unable to save his wife. She had to still be alive!

Deep within the fortress he came upon a prison cell with a sole occupant. As Aang looked in he recognized the small figure that was chained to the wall. "Sun Tzu? Is that you?" called Aang uncertainly. He saw two amber eyes glance up in the darkness as the young Fire Nation Prince heard his name being called. He looked very distraught and afraid, the result of being separated from his mother. "Do you recognize me?" Aang asked calmly. "I'm Avatar Aang. I'm a friend of your daddy." Sun Tzu's eyes widened as his father was mentioned. "We're here to rescue you, along with everyone else. I'll wait here with you until your daddy gets here, OK?" Sun Tzu nodded his head again, still choosing to stay quiet.

"Aang, what have you found?" called a voice from down the corridor. Aang looked back to see Zuko, Toph, and Sokka running towards him. He noticed that Gregor and Dreo were not with them, and he became worried about his friends. "Gregor and Dreo stayed behind to deal with enemy reinforcements," Zuko explained. "Now what is it that you've found?" But his question was answered as he looked into the cell and saw his son. "Sun Tzu!" he cried happily, tears of joy appearing in his eyes. The young Prince's eyes lit up with happiness at the sight of his father.

"Daddy!" exclaimed the young Prince. He tried to move forward as if to embrace his father, but his chains stopped him short. Sun Tzu looked back on his chains in confusion, and then looked to his father with sadness in his innocent eyes.

The Fire Lord tried to open the cell door, but it was locked. "Toph," he said quickly, "could you please get this door open?" Toph walked up to the door as Zuko stepped aside. She spit into the palms of her hands, rubbed them together, and made a series of quick jabs at the metal door. It began to crumple like paper, and she finished it off by ripping the door off of its hinges and throwing it off to the side. She walked into the cell and broke Sun Tzu's bonds, freeing him. The young Prince rushed up to his father and the two embraced, tears of elation running down their faces.

As much as Aang hated to break up this happy reunion, he knew they had to find the others as quickly as possible. "We have to keep moving," he said. "The others are still in danger, and once we find them we can get out of here." The others nodded in agreement and they continued on their way.

They continued down the corridor a bit further, checking every cell door they came across. In many of them were the bones of the unfortunate previous occupants while others housed individuals who had gone insane from their imprisonment in this dark place. Finally, Aang looked into one cell and gasped at what he saw. He could see two familiar figures hanging from the wall in their chains. One was dressed in the royal robes of the Fire Nation and the other was dressed like a Kyoshi warrior. Recognizing them immediately, he called out, "Suki! Mai! It's me, Aang! We're here to rescue you." The two women looked up as they heard their names being called, and relief came over their tired faces. Turning to the others, he shouted, "I found them! They're in here!" Toph immediately rushed over and took care of the metal door as well as the chains.

"Mommy!" cried out Sun Tzu as he ran to embrace his mother. Mai stooped down and picked up her son, hugging him fiercely. "Mommy, I was so scared," sniffled the young Prince, "and mean men were making fun of me, saying bad things about Daddy and the Avatar." He buried his little head into his mother's shoulder as she rocked him back and forth.

"Hush now, my little one," whispered Mai softly, "everything's going to be all right." Looking up, she saw her husband and she went over to embrace him as well. They shared a long kiss, and when they separated she said weakly, "Took you guys long enough to get here. I was starting to get a bit tired of just hanging around all day." But they both smiled as they kissed again.

"Suki!" bleated an elated Sokka as he ran over and hugged his girlfriend. They also kissed as well, and when they separated he said worriedly, "They didn't hurt you did they? No broken bones, no bruises, no cuts?" He began examining Suki as he was saying this. Suki laughed at how ridiculous her boyfriend when it came to him being overprotective.

"No Sokka," she said happily, "I'm fine. Besides, I knew you guys would come and rescue us. I never lost faith in you, Sokka." They both smiled and kissed again, glad to be reunited with one another.

Aang looked around and saw that Katara wasn't with them. He began to feel his fear and anxiety begin to grow. He turned to Suki and asked apprehensively, "Where's Katara? Why isn't she with you and Mai? Did something happen to her?" But Suki and Mai only looked down with sad expressions on their faces. Feeling his panic building, Aang shouted, "Where is she?" Everyone looked at Aang in shock at his outburst.

"She was with us earlier," stammered Suki, "but they took her out of our cell about an hour ago to perform a procedure." Aang's eyes widened with fear, remembering that Jiliu had mentioned something similar. But then Suki delivered the worst news of all: "They're…going to cut her baby out of her womb, and then they're going to kill her." Tears formed in the Kyoshi warrior's eyes, and she couldn't bring herself to say anymore.

Aang's horror and terror shot through his body like a deadly poison, shrouding his thoughts and emotions in a cloud of darkness. He could feel tears of sorrow and rage flowing freely down his face, which was contorted in pain. His mind became enshrouded in a black veil of intense anger and hatred, hatred towards those who were going to kill his wife and child. His eyes and tattoos began to glow as the Avatar Spirit inside of him was awakened. But instead of the pure white glow, it was replaced by a glow that was as black as death and tinged with red along the edges of his eyes and tattoos, representing the immense rage coursing through his mind. In a roar of anger, he bellowed, "**NO! I REFUSE TO LET THAT HAPPEN TO KATARA! I'LL KILL ANYONE WHO STANDS IN MY WAY!**" Looking at Suki through his dark glowing eyes, he shouted, "**WHICH WAY DID THEY TAKE HER?**"

The faces of his friends were all contorted in frightened astonishment at Aang's horrific transformation, and Suki's face was full of fear as she pointed behind him. Aang snapped his head to where she pointed, seeing that they had taken his wife straight down the corridor. In an inhuman roar of bloodlust, he launched himself with all of his might. He sprinted down the corridor using his Airbending, which was fueled by his wrath. He was determined to save his wife, no matter what the cost.

_The South Pole: Two Years Ago_

"There it is!" Aang cried joyfully as he and Katara neared Glacier Point, which was a slab of ice that jutted out over the ocean. As Aang and Katara dismounted the air scooter, they could see the evening sun starting to set. They both started looking around for the necklace, although Katara still seemed to be skeptical.

"Are you sure we were here last night?" she asked. "I don't remember any of this." She looked over at her boyfriend, who was trying to keep himself from fidgeting.

"I'm positive," he said confidently. He waited until she looked away to keep searching, and when she did he flicked his right hand. Two soft impressions appeared at the edge of the frozen point. "See?" he pointed out to her. "This is where we were sitting last night. I was on the right and you were on the left." He made molded the impressions to their exact body types, making the deception believable. As Katara looked at the impressions, her face began to relax.

With another flick of his wrist, Aang created smaller impressions a few steps behind him. Pretending to have just discovered it, he called out, "Hey Katara! I think I found where your necklace was." As she hurried over, he said, "I found a slight impression in the shape of it, but it looks like someone found it and took it." He pointed to the other impressions, which were in the shapes of feet.

Katara said thoughtfully, "I guess either someone found it and was going to return it, or they just stole it for themselves." But she looked down desolately and said, "But it's still gone. I don't think we'll ever see it again." She closed her eyes as Aang put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, there's my favorite little sister and bald guy in the whole world!" cried out a familiar voice. Aang and Katara looked up to see Hakoda, Sokka, and Suki walking towards them. Hakoda and Sokka were dressed in their Water Tribe attire, while Suki preferred wearing her Kyoshi warrior garb. "What are you two doing way out here?" he asked. He noticed Katara's expression and said solemnly, "Oh, I'm guessing you haven't found your necklace yet." His sister sadly shook her head to confirm what Sokka had said.

Suki stepped forward and said, "We searched the entire village, but we couldn't find it. I'm sorry Katara. We did our best." She smiled at her friend to try and cheer her up, but it was no use.

Katara looked up and said, "Thank you all for trying so hard to find it. I appreciate your help as well as the time you gave up to look for it." She looked at Aang and said, "I'm sorry for wasting your whole day for nothing, Aang." She looked sadly into Aang's eyes, which were full of sympathy.

"Well," said Aang timidly, "I wouldn't say the day was an entire waste." He reached into his robes and pulled out the necklace, the polished surface gleaming in the setting sunlight. Sokka and Suki looked at the necklace with unbelieving looks on their faces.

Katara's eyes widened with shock. "My mother's necklace!" she exclaimed as she reached out for it, but Aang pulled it away from her. Her expression was one of confusion, then of anger. "Have you had that with you all day?" she asked accusingly. She gasped and shouted, "You made those impressions in the snow! We were never here last night! I knew you were lying! How did you get my necklace anyway?" She glared at the Avatar, who was trying very hard not to flinch under her threatening gaze.

"Last night," he said, "I waited until you were asleep and then I took your necklace off of your neck." But before he could say anymore Katara cut him off.

"You did what?" she yelled angrily. "Why would you do such a horrible thing? You know how much that necklace means to me!" She pointed an angry finger at Aang and said, "You better start explaining yourself or I'm never speaking to you again! I swear on my mother's spirit I'll break up with you for this, Aang! How could you do something so-" Her father cut her off before she had a chance to say anything else.

"Katara," said Hakoda calmly, and his daughter shot an angry look at him, her hands clenched into fists. "Aang does have a reason for doing what he did. Just listen to what he has to say." He looked to Aang and nodded, as if giving him approval for something.

"He's right," Aang stated. "I do have a reason." He bent down on one knee and held up the necklace reverently towards Katara. A look of confusion came across the faces of Katara, Sokka, and Suki. Only Hakoda seemed to know what was going on, but he didn't let his face betray what his mind was thinking.

"Aang, what are you doing?" asked Katara suspiciously. Her voice had changed from a tone of anger and bitterness to one of wonder and excitement, her eyes full of curiosity and fascination.

"Katara," began the Avatar, "I love you. We have been together for so many years, and I have come to love you for everything that you are. You are my soul mate, the other half of my eternal spirit, the woman who makes me whole. Words alone cannot describe the spiritual connection that is between us. I wanted to give you something that showed my love for you, but whatever I thought of didn't seem appropriate. I didn't want to make a new necklace for you because that would mean you would have to stop wearing the one your mother gave you. I know how much this necklace means to you because of your mother…but today I want it to mean something else to you as well. I'm sorry for taking your necklace and I hope you'll forgive me, but I'm returning it to you with just one question: Katara, will you marry me?" He kept his head down for fear of looking up, and there was a long silence. All he could hear was the sound of his own breathing, rising and falling within him like the ocean tides that the moon spirit bended every night. When he finally summoned the courage to look up, he could see that Katara's eyes were full of tears….and that she was smiling.

"Aang…" she whispered quietly. She tenderly took the necklace out of Aang's hands and replaced it on her neck. She drew in a steady breath, all of her energy going towards maintaining her composure. "Yes…" she whispered soundlessly, then she blurted out, "Of course I'll marry you!" as she tackled Aang to the ground and kissed him fiercely. The two of them lay embracing in the snow as Sokka began cheering and hugging his father and Suki. But the two lovers were in their own world, isolated from what was going on around them. When they separated, Katara's wondrous sapphire eyes were full of joy and happiness, tears of gladness flowing down her face. "I love you so much!" she whispered, and they kissed again. At this Sokka's cheering redoubled, Suki's smile widened, and Hakoda's face beamed with pride. Aang could have remained where he was with Katara forever, but in the end they finally separated. Katara's eyes were full of unbridled love, bringing bliss into Aang's heart. He knew that deep within Katara, she felt the same love and bliss he was feeling at that moment. The Waterbender looked up at her father and said, "You were in on this, weren't you Dad?" Hakoda laughed merrily as his daughter saw through his ruse.

"Yes, I was," he replied happily. "Last night at the party, Aang talked with me in private. He told me that he wanted to propose to you, but he wanted to get my blessing first before doing so. I gave him my blessing, and he told me what his plan was. I agreed to go along with it." He chuckled as he said, "Aang can come up with some truly ingenious ideas." A smile of pride appeared on his face as Aang and Katara rose up out of the snow. "I am once again the proudest father in the entire world. My own daughter, my little Katara, marrying the Avatar." His daughter blushed at his doting, but she was happy that he approved of their marriage. "It is truly an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he continued, "and a great honor to our family." With this, he bowed in respect to Aang, who bowed back in the same fashion.

Sokka, on the other hand, could hardly contain his excitement. "Woo yeah!" he shouted. He went over and hugged his sister, picking her up and spinning her around ecstatically. After he put Katara down, he then turned to Aang and clasped him on the back in a very manly way. "Oh man, this is awesome! Aang's going to be my brother-in-law!" He sank to his knees and held up his fists triumphantly in the air, shouting "This is the greatest day ever!" He then stood up and regained his composure and cheerily said, "Seriously, you two, congratulations. You'll have a great life together." His face was filled with so much pride that it seemed fit to burst.

Suki, laughing with joy, went up and excitedly hugged Aang and Katara, saying "Oh, I'm so happy for you two! You both must be so thrilled!" Aang and Katara blushed, and they reached over and took each other's hand. No words were needed between them, for their connection to one another went beyond the fathoming of mere mortal men.

Sokka gasped suddenly as he realized something. "We have to tell Gran Gran and Pakku! Suki, you pick up Katara. I've got a hold of Aang." Despite Aang and Katara's protests, they were brought up onto their friends' shoulders. However, Sokka and Suki kept them close enough so that they could still hold hands. Both Aang and Katara were happily laughing as their warrior escorts carried them off back to the village. The soon-to-be-newlyweds shared another kiss, pure love emanating from their souls as their spiritual connection grew even stronger than before.

Hakoda looked on at the spectacle in silent pride, a smile on his hardened warrior face. "There she goes, Kya," he said to the open air. "Our daughter is finally getting married to the man she loves more than life itself. I only wish that you were here to see it." He looked out to sea at the setting sun and said, "But I know that you would be proud of her too." He stood there for a little while, then started off in the direction of the village.

_Dark Legion Fortress: Present Day_

Tearing through the corridor, Aang didn't even bother to glance up at the scenes of death on the walls around him. There was only one thought in his darkened mind: save Katara. With each footstep the floor underneath him cracked and fractured, the immense power of the Avatar State flowing through his whole body. Anger was his breath, rage was his heart, hatred was his hands, and wrath was his body. He had become an embodiment of uncontrolled fury, a truly terrifying creature of destruction and chaos. At the end of the corridor he came upon a metal door underneath a picture of an evil man standing over a dead Airbender. He pounded on the door with all his might and called out, "**KATARA!**"

Almost immediately, there was a response. "Aang!" came Katara's frightened voice from within. "Help me!" Yelling with all his might, Aang began smashing away at the door with his fists and feet. With each blow, the metal became more and more dented and concave. Drawing his hand back, a small ball of intense flame flickered forth. Bringing his hand forward, the small fire bomb hit the door and exploded violently. When the smoke cleared, the door had been blown apart and Aang could see two figures within. He could see Katara lying on a table, thankfully unharmed.

But standing over her was a nightmare from the past; Princess Azula. She stood there wielding a knife with a jagged blade as black as the abyss of death and an ornate handle with a large ruby at the end of it. Katara could see that Aang was in the Avatar State, but she could sense that something was wrong with him. His usual white glow had been replaced with black and red tinged the edges of his eyes and tattoos. It was if she could see his anger and hatred pouring out of him, and she was terrified of what he would do in his current state.

Azula didn't even seem fazed by Aang's spectacular entrance or even by his appearance. She began laughing manically, enraging Aang even more. "The Avatar has finally arrived!" she madly proclaimed. "Just in time to see his precious little wife DIE!" She began to bring the knife blade down on Katara, who was screaming with fear. In that instant, time seemed to slow down. Aang could only see the cruel knife and the face of his Katara contorted in fear. Something snapped inside the already-broken Avatar; a primal instinct to protect the one he loves sprung forth, but now fueled by his murderous intent at thwarting Azula.

"**NO!**" bellowed Aang angrily as he swept his staff in front of him, producing a gust of wind that knocked Azula against the far wall. The knife clattered out of her reach, and Aang went on the offensive. He shot several rocks at the evil Fire Nation Princess, hitting her multiple times in the midsection. Each time she was hit, she let out a sharp gasp of pain, blood pouring out of her mouth. He finished his onslaught by launching her on a pillar of rock through the roof, and she disappeared from sight through a gaping hole. The Avatar stood there panting raggedly for a while before he exited the Avatar State. He staggered from exhaustion, but he shook it off and quickly looked at his wife.

"Katara!" he called out. He went over and began working on unclasping the metal restraints. Focusing his energy, he bent the metal until he broke it. He finally managed to undo all of them and he helped Katara up. They embraced each other fiercely, tears of relief and joy flowing down their faces as they passionately kissed. No distance could separate them anymore, their two souls merging into one. When they separated from their kiss, he said unsteadily, "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you or the baby, did they?" Tears were still streaming down his face as he gazed at woman who was the center of his life, of his entire world.

"No Aang, I'm fine," choked Katara, her face wet with tears. As if to reassure him, she placed his hand on her stomach and sure enough, the baby was fine as well. But she looked nervously at her husband and said, "You didn't…kill Azula, did you? You were pretty savage with her. I've never seen you use such raw power in that way before." Aang looked down at the ground, ashamed at himself for losing control of his emotions.

"I don't know," admitted the Avatar, "but I would be surprised to see her walk away after something like that." Looking back at his wife, he said, "I was so worried about you. I was afraid I wasn't going to make it in time." He ran his hand through Katara's hair, and she held his hand close to her head and smiled. They stood looking at each other for a long time, love binding together the wounds that had been rendered in their hearts. Reaching down into his robe, he pulled out Katara's necklace. "I believe this belongs to you, my love," he said as he offered it to her. "It was broken at first, but I was able to fix it." Katara's face lit up with delight at the sight of the familiar trinket.

She took the necklace and placed it back around her neck. She touched her hand to it, remembering the feel of it. She looked up at Aang and said, "Thank you so much for bringing this back to me." They smiled at one another, letting love flow between them like a river. She brought them back to reality by saying, "We should get out of here. We'll talk when we're safe." Aang nodded in agreement, but before they left he picked up the knife Azula had been wielding and put it in his robes. He then pulled out the bison whistle and blew into it, signaling Appa. After that he conjured up his air scooter and carried Katara along in his arms. When they had passed the spot where he had left the others, he could see that they were gone. But he knew that they would be waiting in the courtyard along with Gregor and Dreo.

Indeed, when they came upon courtyard, they could see that Gregor and Dreo were still fighting the enemy reinforcements, although their numbers had dwindled slightly. Gregor and Zuko were fighting a group of Firebenders while Dreo and Sokka were fighting a group of Waterbenders and warriors. Toph stayed behind to guard Mai, Sun Tzu, and Suki. She sensed them coming before anyone else saw them. She turned in their direction and shouted, "Hey, Twinkle Toes, you found Sugar Queen after all! And from what I can feel, the baby's fine as well!" Suki, Mai, and Sun Tzu looked in the direction of Aang and Katara with smiles on their faces. Suddenly, a massive roar ripped through the sky. Everyone in the courtyard looked up as Appa descended and landed in the courtyard with a massive thud, sweeping away entire squads of Dark Legion troops with air blasts from his massive tail. Momo was in the saddle, throwing Leechi nuts at the enemy troops and chattering what sounded like taunts.

Sokka jumped on top of Appa's head and took the reins. "All aboard the Bison Express!" he called. "Next stop: Anywhere but here!" Team Avatar wasted no time in climbing onboard Appa, while Aang picked up Katara and jumped onto Appa. Once everyone was on, Sokka frantically yelled "Yip yip!" and the great bison lifted into the sky. As they ascended, they were assaulted by fireballs and flying ice shards, but none of them hit the bison. The fortress began growing smaller and smaller in the distance until it was just a black speck on the horizon.

Sokka looked back and called, "You guys can stop cowering now. We're safe." He smiled cheerily and said, "I must say that was quite an impressive rescue if I do say so myself." But he noticed that everyone wasn't looking back at the fortress, but rather they were huddling next to one another. Zuko sat close to Mai and Sun Tzu on either side of him, Toph holding Dreo's arm for support, and Aang and Katara holding each other in their arms. Momo was sitting on top of Dreo's head. Suki crawled up next to Sokka and took his arm. They looked at each other affectionately, relieved that this rescue mission was finally over.

"Where are we going? We need a safe place to hide out from the Dark Legion." She looked to her boyfriend for an answer. Sokka thought of all the possible places in the Earth Kingdom that they could hide. One place in particular stuck out at the forefront of his mind.

"We're going to Ba Sing Se," announced the Water Tribe warrior to Team Avatar. "I figured we could hide out at Iroh's tea shop and rest for a while after this ordeal. We could also talk with the Earth King about this Dark Legion and see what he can do to help us." They all nodded in agreement with him, and Appa flew off into the night sky towards the Earth Kingdom Capital and safety.

* * *

><p>Captain Kongju entered the dark throne room to deliver his report to the Emperor of Darkness. He knew that his master would not be pleased with the results of their most recent operation. But Kongju was not afraid; he was fear himself. Why should he be afraid of anything? The throne room itself was as black as night with veins of purple spread throughout the area, scenes of death and destruction everywhere on the walls. Torches with black flames were lined up throughout the room to provide light. The throne itself was made out a black stone and was covered in purple jewels and crystals. But it was the man sitting on the throne that completed the horrifying picture. The Emperor of Darkness was dressed in nightmarish armor in the shape of a dragon, and he had a pointed crown of darkness upon his head. But it was his eyes that were truly out of place, for they were purple. These purple eyes watched as the Captain walked into the room and prostrated himself before his master. "What is your report on the recent operation, Captain?" said the Emperor in a voice as dark as his surroundings.<p>

"O my Emperor," began the Captain, "it brings me great shame to inform you that all the prisoners were rescued by the Avatar and his allies. We were not able to kill any of them, and Princess Azula was severely wounded by the Avatar. Our healers are doing everything they can, but it will take time for her to heal completely. All of the troops stationed there as well as most of the reinforcements were also wounded, although none of them were killed during the attack." He waited for his master's reaction, for he expected it to be one of anger and rage. But strangely, the Emperor began laughing. "I'm afraid I don't understand what is so funny, my lord," said a confused Kongju as he looked up at the Emperor. "The operation was a complete failure." He had thought his master would have been furious that their operation had failed so miserably.

"Actually, Captain," mused the Emperor, "it was rather the opposite. The point of this operation was to prove to the Avatar, the Fire Lord, and his allies that they are not invincible, that they can be touched. There will be more to come as our darkness spreads across the world. Contact our allies in Ba Sing Se and the Wu Long Forest at once and tell them to await further orders." Kongju bowed to his master and left to carry out the order. The Emperor was left alone in his throne room.

"Yes, soon the world will be ours!" he said coldly. "Soon our darkness will cover all of the nations of the world." He opened his hand, and a black and purple flame flickered to life. "The Avatar will be in for the fight of his life, and I will be the one to finally bring him down! With this dark power I have acquired, no one will be able to stop our great march on civilization. Soon the world will be engulfed in the fires of war and destruction. We will be everywhere at once, fighting our enemies in the heart of their homelands. Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, or Air Nomads, it doesn't matter who our foe is! All will feel our wrath!" The dark fire in his hand died away. "But this power is not enough to fulfill my master plan. My agents will soon find the true power of darkness that I desire. Once I learn all of its dark secrets, not even the Avatar will be able to stop me!" He paused briefly before continuing his monologue. "I once had a dream of taking the world back in the name of the Fire Nation, but I have seen that my homeland has become weak under the new Fire Lord. No, I will take back the world in MY name, Ryu of the Fire Nation! Ryu the Emperor of Darkness! Ryu, Master of the Black Flame! RYU THE AVATAR SLAYER!" As his voice became increasingly louder, the torches began to glow brighter and brighter with black light as Ryu extended his Firebending to their flames. Dark flames also began growing around the base of the evil throne, but Ryu was not afraid for he was in total control. The Emperor began laughing manically and the flames died away.


	7. Chapter Six: Refuge in Ba Sing Se

I have returned, my friends! Things are going to slow down a bit from the last action-packed chapter, but I assure you my work is still of the great caliber that you have come to enjoy. This chapter is full of love and hope, but looks can be deceiving. You'll see what I mean by the end of this chapter. ;) As usual, read and enjoy! Please send me reviews so I know what you all think of my work. :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Six: Refuge in Ba Sing Se**

Aang looked off into the distance as Appa continued flying through the tranquil night. They had been flying for about three days toward Ba Sing Se, making slower time without the aid of a tailwind. There had been no sign of pursuit by the Dark Legion which allowed everyone to relax. They had stopped a few times to make camp whenever Appa needed rest, which was more frequent since he was an older bison. During the flight, Aang filled Katara, Suki, and Mai in on everything that had occurred since the men had left the Fire Nation Royal Palace, from finding Ursa and the Air Nomads to fighting off the Dark Legion at the fortress.

Aang looked back at his friends who were all sleeping in the saddle. Zuko, Mai and Sun Tzu were huddled together for comfort as were Sokka and Suki. Toph was still holding onto Dreo's arm for support, but now her head was on his chest as they both slept peacefully. Momo was asleep next to Toph and Dreo. Aang then looked to Katara, who was fast asleep underneath a blanket for warmth. Her face was peaceful, and her body rose and fell with each breath.

Aang smiled at his sleeping wife, glad to see that she was doing well despite her recent ordeal. When he faced forward, tears began to fill his eyes. He had come so close to losing her forever. What if he had been too late? What would have happened if Azula's knife had pierced his wife's heart? Would his extreme rage and sadness have caused a permanent Avatar State in which he would destroy the entire world? He closed his eyes and let his tears flow down his face.

"What's wrong, Aang?" came a voice from behind him. He looked behind him to see that Katara had woken up from her deep slumber and was staring at him, her radiant eyes full of concern and worry. Embarrassed, Aang quickly faced forward and began hastily wiping away his tears.

"Nothing's wrong," said Aang hurriedly, "I've just got something in my eyes. Nothing to worry about. Nope, nothing bothering me whatsoever." He was hoping that maybe she would buy his act and go back to sleep, but he knew better than to push his luck with Katara.

"Honey, you know you're a terrible liar," chuckled his wife as she pulled herself up by him. She touched a hand to his face and turned his head towards her. "I can tell when something is bothering you. Why are you crying, my love?" Her face was so full of concern and love that Aang's eyes filled with tears again.

"I came so close to losing you," he choked. "I thought…you were going to die and that there was nothing I could do to save you." He paused for a brief moment then said, "But it's not just that." He looked down ashamedly and said, "When I had found out you had been kidnapped, I was in so much pain that I went into the Avatar State. I could hardly control myself. When Suki told me what the Dark Legion was going to do to you and the baby, all my sadness, anger, and rage took over my body. I went into the Avatar State again, but that time it was different." He drew in a shaky breath as he continued. "I had lost complete control of my emotions, allowing my anger to fuel my Avatar State. I could feel it surging through my body like a poison that clouded my mind. I was willing to kill anyone who stood in my way of saving you. I wasn't myself; I had become a monster whose only capacity was to kill." He closed his eyes as shame overcame him. He could feel Katara tense up beside him, her concern blanketing him like a soft cloud.

"Aang, everyone loses control of their emotions sometimes," said Katara comfortingly as she put a hand on his shoulder. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just one of the things that make us human." She lovingly smiled at her husband, who managed a weak smile in return. "Although, I noticed something was different when you were in the Avatar State," said Katara thoughtfully. "You didn't glow white like you normally would when you're in the Avatar State. You were glowing black with red along the edges. What caused the change in color?" She looked inquisitively to her husband, who was at a loss for answers.

"I honestly don't know," said the bewildered Avatar. "I'd have to talk to Avatar Roku in order to truly find out what happened with me at the fortress. I've never experienced anything like it before, but maybe some of my past lives have." Contemplative expressions came across both of their faces, thinking of possible explanations for the mysterious black glow.

Katara looked back in the saddle and gasped happily. She tapped Aang's shoulder to get his attention and whispered, "Look at this." She pointed back to Toph and Dreo, who were still sleeping very closely together. Her head was still on his chest, but now his right arm was around her waist. The two of them looked peaceful in their deep slumber, their bodies continually rising and falling with their shallow breathing. Katara smiled and whispered, "Don't they look so cute together?" She leaned against Aang and put her head on his shoulder, while he put his arm around her. She looked up at Aang and whispered, "You know, I bet she likes him."

Aang looked at his wife incredulously. "Toph liking a guy?" he chuckled. "Toph doesn't seem to fit the mushy, lovey-dovey type when it comes to romance. She doesn't strike me as romantic." He chuckled some more at the thought of Toph being affectionate in a way that didn't involve a friendly punch to the arm.

"Well," mused Katara, "what type am I when it comes to romance? Surely I must fit into some sort of category, if what you're saying is true." She looked teasingly at Aang, who was blushing deep red.

"Well, uh," nervously stammered the Avatar, "you see, Katara, the thing is, um, what I'm trying to say is-" but he was cut off as Katara leaned in and deeply kissed him on the lips. When they separated, Aang was still blushing.

"I was only teasing," she said amorously. "I don't need categories or rankings to know how much I love you. We are connected on such a deep level that our love will transcend lifetimes and even our own deaths." She patted his hand to her stomach, saying "This is proof of your love for me, and nothing will ever change that fact." She looked warmly at her husband, her dazzling eyes full of love and life. Aang's heart was awestruck at this beautiful sight, a sight he would be seeing a lot more of as the years go on.

"How did I come to meet an incredible woman like you?" asked Aang happily with all the joy in his heart. Katara's face lit up with amusement and she buried her face in Aang's chest in order to smother her laughter, her convulsing body sending shockwaves through his body. The Avatar was rather confused as to why she was laughing. "Why's that so funny?" he asked. When Katara brought her face up, she had a big smile on her face.

"I'll tell you how we met, since you seem to have forgotten," she giggled. "I busted you out of that iceberg you were trapped in for a hundred years. Not exactly your typical first meeting, if you know what I mean." She giggled some more as she said, "You asked me to go penguin sledding with you, remember? And then Appa sneezed on Sokka." They both chuckled quietly as they remembered that fateful day.

"But I guess you're right," Aang mused. "Maybe Toph does like Dreo. Who knows, they could end up together. She deserves someone who loves her for who she is. I can imagine after being alone for so long that when a great guy comes along, she's bound to react." He looked at his wife and asked, "You would help her if she does end up liking him by giving her advice and what not, right?"

"Of course I would," sincerely replied Katara. "She's like a sister to me. I would be glad to help her with dating such a noble Airbender. Believe me," she chuckled, "I have had plenty of experience with you." She kissed Aang lightly on the cheek, causing him to blush again.

Katara suddenly gasped in pain as she clutched her stomach, wincing as the baby kicked again. "Katara!" Aang softly exclaimed. "Are you all right?" Concern was obvious in his voice as well as on his face. His wife's pregnancy had been taking a toll on her for so long, using up a lot of her energy. Beads of sweat began to appear on her forehead, and her face was contorted in pain.

"I'm fine, Aang," said Katara assuredly. "Someone's just getting a little restless, that's all." She looked at her husband and smiled. A sudden thought crossed her mind, something she hadn't thought of until now. "What are we going to name our child? We haven't thought of any names yet, and the baby is going to come soon." She looked to Aang, her eyes full of questions.

"I don't know," honestly replied Aang, "I haven't really given it much thought. But I figured once the baby does arrive, we'll know exactly what name we'll give our child. Does that sound good?"

"Yes," said Katara, "that's a wonderful plan. No sense in rushing things that haven't happened yet, right?" Both of them chuckled softly, love connecting their two souls into a single entity.

Looking ahead, Aang could see a familiar sight looming over the horizon; the massive Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. "Look, Katara," he said, and the pregnant Waterbender turned to look at the sight. The colossal fortifications stood as a reminder to the whole world of the scope of the Earth Kingdom. The rising sun belted rays of light upon the wall, casting a long shadow over the land for miles. This city was truly a marvel to behold, a wonder of the world. "There it is," Aang quietly announced, "Ba Sing Se." A reminiscent look came over his face as he said, "So many memories contained within those walls." He and his wife looked at each other with warm smiles.

"Yes," she mused, "many memories indeed." They shared a passionate kiss as Appa continued flying onward towards the Earth Kingdom Capital, the sun shining like an exotic ruby as it started its daily journey through the heavens.

* * *

><p>In the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se sat the Jasmine Dragon, a world-renowned tea shop. It first opened ten years ago under the ownership of a former Fire Nation general whose military skills were the stuff of legend. Indeed, the man was a legend himself for he was known as the Dragon of the West. After the war, Iroh retired permanently and spent his days managing his tea shop. He had also opened up several tea shops over the years throughout the Earth Kingdom as well as the Fire Nation and Water Tribes. He also served tea to the Earth King during parties, celebrations, and council meetings. Iroh had become a true celebrity to the whole world, but he insisted that he was just a humble tea maker who was content to live in peace and prosperity.<p>

On this morning, Iroh was watching from inside his shop as the rising sun filled the sky with life. He loved the morning, for it was the time when the darkness and silence of the night is wiped away by the bright and lively light of day. Every day when the sun rose, he could feel his own Firebending powers rise with it. The sun filled him with energy and life that the night seemed to almost steal away with its obscure claws. The warm morning light filled his old bones with vigor.

He drew in a deep breath and smelt the crisp air, feeling his inner fire grow hotter, and then slowly exhaled the sweet fragrance. He smiled, glad to be alive. Life was such a wonderful thing that filled the world with unimaginable beauty, and yet it was also very fragile for it could be taken away at a moment's notice. Iroh has had much time to contemplate the mysteries of the world, of love and loss, of life and death, of good and evil. While others viewed him as a wise and powerful man, he believed himself to be a humble person who was always trying to do the right thing for other people.

A piercing whistle began to emanate from the back of the tea shop, signaling that Iroh's Jasmine tea was ready. He poured his tea into a tin cup, letting the aroma waft through the open air. He took a sip of it, and immediately its warmth spread throughout his body. "Ah," he sighed, "there is nothing better in the morning than a perfectly brewed cup of Jasmine tea." He took another sip, savoring the wonderful taste of perfect tea.

Suddenly, he heard an animal roar outside. Startled, Iroh spilled his tea. Looking down in disappointment, he said sadly, "A perfectly good cup of tea wasted. What is this world coming to?" He walked outside to see what caused the noise, but when he took a look around he couldn't find anything. "No, it can't be…" he whispered as he looked up with a smile and saw Appa descending. As the bison landed in front of him, he said, "If it isn't my old friend, Appa. How are you?" Appa grunted and answered him by affectionately licking the old man with his massive tongue. Iroh was laughing the whole time and after the greeting lick was over with he reached out and petted the massive bison.

"Iroh! Long time, no see!" called a familiar voice from on top of Appa. Iroh looked up to see the smiling face of Aang staring down at him. "How are you, my old friend?" he asked cheerily.

"Hey!" retorted Iroh. "I'm not that old!" He was silent for a couple of seconds, and then he stroked his gray beard as he jokingly added, "All right, I am old." He and the Avatar began laughing, their boisterous voices resonating through the air.

"Hello, Iroh," came a sweetly pleasant voice from Aang's side. Iroh looked over and saw Katara sitting next to Aang, her long brown hair slightly fluttering in the gentle morning breeze. Iroh's weathered face glowed with delight as he looked upon the Waterbender.

"Hello to you too, Katara," he pleasantly said. He sighed and said, "You have certainly grown more beautiful than when I last saw you at your wedding. You are like a panda-lily in full bloom, your beauty and splendor opened up for the whole world to see. Aang is lucky to have such an attractive wife, if you would permit me to say so." He chuckled as he saw a look of amused embarrassment come across Katara's face.

"Oh, stop Iroh," Katara said shyly, "you're too kind." She began blushing fiercely as she looked down at the ground and leaned against Aang, a timid smile appearing on her lips. Even after so long, Iroh was still throwing out compliments and praise to every young lady he came upon.

"Iroh," Aang said in mock suspicion, "are you trying to flirt with my wife? I must say I'm rather surprised at you, going after a married woman like that." He couldn't keep a straight face as he teased the old man.

Iroh began laughing at Aang's joke. "Oh no," he chuckled, "I'm not flirting with Katara. I just see fit to treat every woman like a Princess, for women are one of the world's most precious resources. Without them, none of us would even exist." He smiled at Katara, who was still blushing as she looked kindly upon the elder Firebender.

"Here, Katara," Aang said, "let me help you down from here." Katara shot a slightly annoyed look at her husband as her blush vanished, but she smiled and nodded her approval. Aang jumped down off of Appa and began bending the air around his wife, gently caressing and carrying her down. As her feet touched the ground, Iroh could see her enlarged stomach. A look of pure joy came across his weary face.

"If there is one thing that makes a woman even more beautiful," said Iroh, "it is the child that she carries around inside of her." At this, Katara's blush reappeared on her smiling face. "It brings great joy to my old heart to see you two expecting your first child. The first one is always the hardest, but they bring you so much joy and happiness in your lives. I wish for the both of you to have your child to be born healthy and happy." He noticed a small figure on top of Appa's saddle and asked, "Who's your little friend?"

"Great-Uncle Iroh!" cried out Sun Tzu as he jumped off of Appa and ran towards the old man. Iroh embraced his great-nephew in a big hug, laughing merrily as he spun the young boy around. After a brief moment, they stopped spinning.

"Hello to you too, Sun Tzu," said Iroh happily. "You've certainly gotten bigger since I last laid eyes on you." He gave the young Prince a questioning look and asked, "Have you been practicing your Firebending with Master Jeong Jeong? Have you been a good boy for your mother and father?" Sun Tzu nodded his head at each question, a smile of pure innocence on his face. Iroh looked up and saw Mai walking towards him, and he lowered his great-nephew to the ground in order to greet her. "Salutations to you, Fire Lady Mai," he said as he bowed to her. Mai had a slight smile on her face as she said "hi" back. Her son rushed to her side as Iroh looked up and saw Zuko walking towards them. "Greetings to you as well, Fire Lord Zuko," said the Dragon of the West as he made the traditional Fire Nation greeting gesture and bowed.

"Uncle," said Zuko, "you don't have to address me as Fire Lord all of the time. I'm still your nephew, after all." Both of the men smiled as they gave each other a friendly hug.

"I know," said Iroh, "but it is only respectful that I address the ruler of the Fire Nation as thus. But you are right; you are still my nephew and nothing will change that." He chuckled as he rubbed his hand in Zuko's hair, which caused little Sun Tzu to laugh at the sight of his father being embarrassed by his Uncle.

"Hey, there's my favorite old guy in the entire world!" exclaimed Sokka as he ran up to Iroh and hugged him. "Good to see you still standing, old timer!" he declared happily as he detached himself from Iroh.

"Hello to you too, Sokka," Iroh said. "Hello to you as well, Suki," he added as he saw Suki walking towards them. He noticed Gregor behind her and said, "Greetings to you, General Gregor." Gregor began to bow to Iroh, but the old man held up his hand and said, "There is no need for that, my friend. We are equals here in my tea shop, although it is still respectful to bow to one's elders." Looking around at the assembled group, he noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Toph? Is she not with you?"

Suddenly, a high pitched scream emanated from Appa's back which caused Momo to fly down into the tea shop. Everyone looked back at Appa to see what caused the scream. There was the sound of a swift punch, and a figure was sent flying into the air and crashed down next to Appa. Everyone could see that the figure was Dreo, lying in the street with stunned and dumbfounded look on his face. His chin was red from where he had been punched. When everyone looked back up at the saddle, they could see Toph standing there blushing fiercely with a look of disbelief and anger on her face. "What do you think you're doing, you idiot?" she shouted. "I can't believe you were…UGH!" She jumped down off the bison and landed on her feet with a thud, cracking the stone underneath her feet. She stormed off into the Jasmine Dragon without saying anything to Iroh or the others as she tried to conceal her blushing face from view.

Aang leaned over and whispered into Katara's ear, "I guess she found out that he was holding her while they were sleeping on the way here. Are you so sure that they like each other?" Katara looked at her husband and shrugged, a look of uncertainty across her face.

Gregor looked at his younger brother and asked, "What did you do this time, Dreo?" The young Airbender looked up and shrugged innocently, although he was blushing as well. Gregor sighed and shook his head. "We'll have to talk later. For now, let us all go inside and catch up on things." Dreo got up and hurried inside as the others walked in ahead of him.

Once they were all seated inside (Toph being as far away from Dreo as possible), Zuko began recounting the events that had recently transpired. Everyone in the group took their turn telling their side of the story, while Iroh calmly listened and sipped his new cup of tea. When Aang got to the part with the knife Azula had been wielding, he handed it to Iroh so he could inspect it later. By the time they all had finished, the sun had just passed its peak and was beginning to start its downward journey.

Iroh was still for a few minutes, and then he drew in a breath before he began speaking. "This is most disturbing news indeed," he said. "You all have been through so much recently." He looked at Katara and asked, "Are you all right? You and your husband were the most affected by this horrible plot against you, since they intended to kill you first." Everyone looked to Katara for an answer as she stared at the ground. Aang was standing behind her while she sat in the chair, and he also had a downcast look on his face.

"Truthfully, I don't know," answered the Waterbender. "The whole time I was in captivity, I was worried about all of my friends and for Aang as well. There was something else I was worried about above all other things: my unborn baby." As she said this, she put a hand on her round stomach. "When Azula told me that they were going to cut my baby out of me, I felt a fear I had never felt in my entire life. I was afraid my baby was going to die before it even had a chance to live. If Aang hadn't come along when he did, Azula's knife would have plunged into my heart and I wouldn't be here right now." She closed her eyes as tears began to form, and her husband hugged her from behind for comfort and support.

Iroh could see that Katara was clearly upset by her recent experience and said, "You two need some time alone. After an ordeal like the one you've been through, you both need to reconnect and soothe one another. Besides, all this talk of darkness and death is not good for one's mental health. You both need time to relax and recover." He pointed to the hallway next to the kitchen and said, "You may have the guest bedroom in the first door on the right. It has the biggest bed out of all my guest rooms, for I use it whenever a traveling couple who is expecting a child needs a place to stay." Aang and Katara looked at Iroh and then at one another with surprised expressions on their faces.

"We couldn't possibly do that," protested Aang. "We need to formulate a plan to rid the world of this Dark Legion so we can all finally live in peace. We can't do that just lounging around and-" Before he could say anymore, Iroh held up a stern hand and cut him off mid-sentence.

"We will speak with the Earth King soon enough to devise a plan concerning this new foe of ours. But for now, you and your wife must rest, at least for the child's sake." He smiled and said, "In fact, I think we all should rest and take our minds off of this sinister subject at least until further notice. I have guest rooms available for all of you, but you may do whatever you wish during your stay here." With that, Aang and Katara retired to the first guest bedroom while the others dispersed. Zuko, Mai, and Sun Tzu went to one of the spare bedrooms while Sokka and Suki took another, all of them wanting to get some much needed rest. Gregor took Dreo with him out in front of the tea shop for them to talk, while Toph went out back to practice her Earthbending. Appa and Momo went to the new stable next to the tea shop to sleep. Iroh sighed heavily and went back to drinking his tea, occasionally eyeing the malignant knife hidden in his robe.

* * *

><p>As Gregor and Dreo walked outside, the young Airbender was sure that his brother was going to chastise him for what had happened that morning. As they stood at the stone railing just outside the tea shop, Gregor looked straight ahead for a while without saying anything. This caused Dreo's anxiety to grow and he started to fidget. Gregor noticed this and a slight smile of amusement appeared on his face. Unable to contain himself anymore, Dreo shouted "What's up with you? All you're doing is standing there and smiling as if you know something!" But the Firebender kept his cool, his face revealing nothing as his brother let loose with his nervous rant.<p>

"I don't know," Gregor calmly said, "why don't you tell me? Just what exactly happened between you and Toph this morning when we first arrived here?" He looked at his brother and said, "I would imagine that you didn't merit such a solid punch to the chin without reason." He chuckled and said, "From the way she screamed, you must have been doing something she didn't like." Dreo started to blush as he remembered the events of that morning.

"Well," he nervously began, "while we were sleeping on the way here, somehow in my sleep my right hand went around her waist. I didn't wake up until she had screamed, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground. I don't know why she would freak out over something like that." Gregor burst out laughing, and Dreo's blush reddened. "What's so funny?" he asked. The Firebender eventually stopped laughing.

Gregor's golden eyes sparkled with humor as he looked on at his brother. "For one thing," he said, "I believe that you intentionally put your hand around her waist. You were moving a bit too fast for her taste." He chuckled and said, "If I didn't know any better, I would say that you like Toph." Dreo's blush spread throughout his whole face, causing his face to look as red as a tomato.

"Are you crazy? There's absolutely no way that…" began the Airbender, but after seeing the knowing smile on his brother's face he sighed and said, "Fine. You win. I have feelings for Toph. There, I said it. Are you happy now?" He looked down at the ground, waiting for his brother to say something.

Instead, Gregor put an arm around Dreo and rubbed his other hand in the Airbender's messy black hair. "I knew it," chuckled Gregor. "I knew that there was something between you two from the first time you guys met." Dreo looked up at his brother, a small smile on his face. "You know," mused Gregor, "I bet she likes you too."

"You really think so?" asked Dreo excitedly. "I guess I should ask her out then. It would give us a chance to get to know each other better." He looked down as he blushed again, his young face full of excitement.

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Gregor optimistically. "But before you ask her out, I need to prepare you. Believe me, you're going to need all the help you can get." The two brothers laughed as they headed back inside and went into one of the spare bedrooms to prepare for that evening.

* * *

><p>Day passed into evening, and moon was beginning to rise as Aang woke from his nap alongside Katara. They had spent a few hours conversing and spending time with each other after Iroh had suggested doing so, and it seemed to do them some good. They both began to feel at ease, and eventually fell asleep in each other's arms. After having woken up, the Avatar sleepily rubbed his eyes and looked at the sleeping form of his wife. He smiled as he saw her sleeping peacefully, content to know that she was doing much better than before. He quietly got up and left the room, softly closing the paper-thin door behind him so he didn't disturb her.<p>

He moved through the tea shop soundlessly and came upon the stone railing just outside. He looked at the rising moon, allowing the cool night air to flow around him. This day of rest was just what Aang needed, for his feelings of anxious and worry had ebbed out of him during his down time with Katara. He smiled as he thought of his wife, how beautiful she looked even when she was asleep. His love for her spread throughout his body, bringing fiery warmth to his soul. He thought about his child that lay inside of her, and he felt happy that soon he was going to be a father. So much had changed after ten years, and he was overcome with what the future held in store for his family.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around his chest. Panic shot through Aang like lightning, but then he heard a voice. "Enjoying the view?" asked the voice. Aang turned to see the mischievous face of his wife, and he let out a nervous sigh of relief.

"Don't do that," he said as he turned his body towards Katara. "I would have whipped around and knocked you back if you hadn't said something. Be more careful, will you?" Despite his rebuking tone, he smiled at her.

"I don't have to be careful with you," Katara shot back, "because I know you would look first before you struck. You may be the Avatar, but you're also a gentle spirit who doesn't lash out blindly at his opponents." She smiled at him and asked, "So what are you doing out here anyway?"

Aang chuckled and nonchalantly said, "Oh, just thinking about this incredible woman that I've known for a long time." He put his strong arms around Katara's waist as he drew her in closer to him, their heartbeats resounding into each other like an orchestra of booming drums. Katara put her hands on his broad chest, feeling the rippling muscles underneath his robes.

"Oh really?" asked Katara in feigned skepticism. "Would this incredible woman happen to be your wife, the love of your life and your soul mate without whom you wouldn't be able to go on in this world?" They smiled at one another, their faces full of delight at their shared joke. They drew in closer to one another, never taking their eyes off of one another for even an instant.

"That would be the one," replied Aang happily. They closed their eyes and kissed each other passionately in their embrace. This was their time to be alone without any intrusion by the reality of the outside world. All they knew in those moments was each other. When they separated, they let their foreheads touch as they stared lovingly into each other's eyes. "Do you remember this spot?" Aang asked.

"Of course I do," said Katara. "This is where we first began our romantic relationship ten years ago." She chuckled and said, "I remember when we traveled around the world after The War was over. We had many wonderful romantic nights together, and we grew much closer to each other than we ever had during your Avatar journey. We've changed so much since then, but one thing that has stayed the same is our love." They both smiled again as they felt total peace and serenity wash over them.

"I completely agree," said Aang. An idea formed in his head, and he detached himself from his wife's arms. He stood about a three feet from her and held out his right hand in an invitation and asked, "Shall we dance, my eternal love?" Katara smiled and blushed as she took her husband's hand and began dancing with him. Aang's left hand was on her waist while her right hand was on his shoulder, their other hands joined and held up at their side. The soft moonlight illuminated the two dancers as they slowly glided to and fro across the front of the Jasmine Dragon. They could feel the love in the night air as it enveloped every fiber of their being. They were as inseparable as day and night, two parts of the same whole. This was what love was about; two individual people, man and woman, coming together in such a strong emotional bond that any distinctions or differences are blurred out completely as two souls become one. They could have danced all night long, but then they noticed a figure in the doorway of the tea shop. Looking over they could see Toph standing there with an embarrassed look on her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry," stammered the blind Earthbender, "I didn't mean to interrupt you guys in the middle of one of your love-fests again." She started nervously rubbing her space bracelet as her cheeks reddened. "I can, uh, come back later when you're done." She was silent for a little bit as Aang and Katara looked on at Toph. She looked down and quickly said, "I'll just go back inside." She turned around and began to walk back in.

"Wait, Toph," called Katara, and the Earthbender halted. "Aang and I were just enjoying each other's company, but I'll always have time for you." Toph turned around and faced the Waterbender. "What do you need?" asked Katara curiously.

"Well…" began Toph hesitantly, "I kind of need to talk to you about some things." She paused for a bit, and then added, "Alone." Aang blushed when he realized that she was talking about him having to leave.

"Right," he said knowingly, "I get it. You two need to talk about girly things." Katara nudged him lightly, and he said, "All right, Katara, I'm going. I'll be waiting for you in our room when you're done." They lightly kissed each other and Aang went back inside. The two women were left standing, their hair slightly fluttering in the light breeze. Toph walked up next to Katara and the two stood looking out over Ba Sing Se.

"So what's on your mind?" asked Katara. "It must be pretty important if you needed Aang to separate from me," she jokingly added. Toph smiled slightly, but she still seemed nervous about something. It was if she carried a massive weight on her shoulders, and the only way to relieve her burden is to tell her friend about it.

"It's mostly about love," said Toph. "When I first met you, Aang, and Sokka ten years ago, I knew I had finally found friends of my own. I never told anyone this, but during our travels, I began to form a personal attachment to someone in our group. I loved him, but he didn't feel the same way about me. He only saw me as a friend. He was already involved with another girl, and they were happy together. It was hard for me to accept it, and I have felt so lonely for a long time." She grew quiet, waiting for Katara to guess who this person was that she was talking about.

"Was it Sokka?" asked Katara. Toph sadly nodded as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Toph," said Katara sympathetically. "I had no idea you felt that way about him." She put a hand on Toph's shoulder and said, "It must have been hard feeling lonely all these years." She paused and said, "It must have hurt you so much, but I know you're a strong individual. Despite how lonely you were feeling, you kept trudging ahead." Toph's tears flowed freely now, leaving a wet trail on her pale face.

A look of worry came over the Waterbender's face as she looked upon Toph. "Are you sure you're over your feelings for him? I mean, he is involved with Suki and he does love her, but he still likes you as a friend." She smiled reassuringly at Toph and even though her friend might not have been able to see it, she somehow knew that Katara had smiled. The blind Earthbender began wiping away her tears, the drops glistening like precious jewels.

"Yeah, I guess so," she muttered. "But I think it's because I've started to like someone else." At this, Katara's curiosity was aroused. She had an idea of who Toph was referring to, but for her friend's sake she feigned ignorance.

"Who is it?" asked Katara. The blind Earthbender smiled to herself and blushed again, still rubbing her bracelet. Katara had never seen Toph act this way before. "Come on! Tell me already! The suspense is killing me!" she said excitedly. Toph chuckled at Katara's anxiety over the revelation of her new love interest.

"It's Dreo," said Toph. Katara burst into a fit of giddiness as she hugged Toph fiercely. "Hey, Sugar Queen, no need to choke me!" she jokingly said. "I can hardly breathe!" The Waterbender let go of her and stood facing the blind Earthbender, happiness in her sparkling eyes.

"Toph, that's wonderful!" she said joyfully. "Dreo does seem like a very nice young man. He's smart, powerful, funny, not to mention good-looking, and…oh! I'm so happy for you I can hardly stand it!" Katara was bouncing up and down with glee. Toph's blush returned yet again, but her friend didn't seem to notice it.

"There's another reason why I like him," she said. At this, Katara stopped bouncing. "He treats me like a normal person. He doesn't see me as blind and helpless, but rather as strong and independent. No one, besides you guys, in my entire life has EVER treated me that way." She looked down shyly and said, "He's completely swept me off of my feet ever since I met him, and that's saying something." Katara started to say something, but she was interrupted by a voice emanating from the tea shop.

"Hey Toph," said the voice. Katara turned around to see who it was, and she was surprised to see Dreo standing there. The young Airbender had a nervous look on his face, and he was shifting his weight from foot to foot. Katara nudged Toph and she turned to face Dreo. When she realized it was Dreo, she began to blush. Dreo looked at Katara and said, "Um, you don't mind if I borrow Toph for a few minutes, do you?" Katara's face lit up with a knowing smile, causing the Airbender to blush. The Waterbender stood there for a few moments contemplating her decision, also making the Airbender feel uneasy.

"No, I don't mind at all Dreo," she said. "Take as much time as you need." Dreo began walking towards Toph while Katara started heading back inside. As they passed each other, she winked at him and he blushed even more. Once the Waterbender was in the doorway, she hid off to the side to watch the scene unfold. She looked across at the opposite end of the doorway and was surprised to see Gregor crouching there, his golden eyes piercing through the dark night. He held up a finger to his mouth to indicate silence, and Katara nodded with a smile on her face.

Toph and Dreo stood facing each other for a few minutes, neither one wanting to make the first move. Toph was still nervously rubbing her bracelet. _Why didn't Katara stay out here and help me out?_ she thought. But she shook this cowardly thought from her head. _No, I can handle this on my own. I'm the greatest Earthbender in the world. Surely I can handle a simple boy._ With her confidence brimming, she brusquely asked, "What do you want Dreo? Are you here to get back at me for this morning?"

"No, not at all," stammered Dreo, "I just wanted to talk to you about something." He drew in a deep breath and said, "I think you're a really cool person and I would like to get to know you better. I guess we sort of get along well enough, despite what happened this morning. What I'm trying to say is would you like to go out with me tomorrow evening? We could walk around Ba Sing Se and see the sights, hit the local eateries, all that good stuff. What do you say?" He nervously twiddled his thumbs as he awaited Toph's answer, her face betraying nothing. Gregor crossed his fingers apprehensively while Katara held her breath. A turbulent storm of mixed emotions was raging inside of Toph, but she kept a straight face.

Finally, Toph shrugged and said, "Sure, I'll go out with you. You seem like a pretty cool guy yourself." But she pointed a finger at Dreo and said, "But if you try anything obscene with me, I'll knock you into the middle of next week. Understand?" Dreo quickly nodded, and Toph relaxed and smiled. "Good," she said, "glad to know we understand each other. Get some sleep, okay Air Boy?" She gave him a friendly punch on the arm and started heading inside, leaving the Airbender standing there rubbing his arm. Toph's face turned bright red as soon as her back was to Dreo, a slight smile on her face.

Gregor and Katara hurriedly but carefully rushed back to their respective rooms as the blind Earthbender approached so they wouldn't be caught eavesdropping, although they were unaware that Toph had already sensed them in their hiding places. The blind Earthbender, however, had decided to play along with the two and she pretended that they weren't even there when she was with Dreo. When Katara was back in her room, she woke Aang up and briskly told him about the scene that had transpired. Aang was thrilled that Toph was going on a date with Dreo, that Toph deserved a nice guy to be with. They talked for a little while longer about the pairing of Toph and Dreo, and then husband and wife fell asleep together as the moon continued through the night sky.

* * *

><p>Deep in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se, a Dai Li agent relayed orders to his leader. This Dai Li agent, rather than wearing the traditional green of the Earth Kingdom as they had ten years ago, wore black in place of dark green and purple in place of light green. "Sir," he said, "the Emperor wishes for us to commence our operation concerning the Airbender that is traveling with the Avatar. Our spies tell us that they're currently in the city staying at the Jasmine Dragon, a tea shop owned by Iroh of the Fire Nation." His leader nodded and the agent was dismissed, his Earthbending carrying him through the dark catacombs.<p>

The piercing green eyes of Long Feng shone through the dim light. "Soon," he said, "we will retake control of Ba Sing Se, and the Emperor will have all of the Earth Kingdom under his control." He began laughing sinisterly, his booming voice echoing throughout the endless caverns underneath the Earth Kingdom Capital. Dark forces were about to take hold in Ba Sing Se, striving to bring the Emperor of Darkness up to his goal of ultimate power. As Long Feng continued to laugh, his dark demeanor seemed to grow in its malignance as he began planning the downfall of Ba Sing Se once more.


	8. Chapter Seven: The Seeds are Planted

Hola, mis amigos. :) I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, but things get much more interesting in this chapter. The title I picked for this chapter is not a literal meaning, so get your flithy little minds out of the gutter. Just kidding. :P I meant the title as more of a figurative meaning, and if you can figure out the figurative "seeds" that are planted throughout this chapter please tell me so in a review (I already know what they are, but I would still like to hear your ideas and thoughts). But if you can figure it out on your own, I applaud you for having creative minds. :) This (sadly) will be the last chapter I upload for a while, for I'm still working on Chapter Eight and it's turning out just a bit longer than I had anticipated. But that just means it'll be great, right? ;) I'll try to work as fast and effectively as I can, but it might be about two or three days before that chapter is finished. In the meantime, please feel free to read through what I have uploaded so far. Enjoy and review if you wish.

Oh by the way, at the time when I was writing this chapter, at one point I had the absolute WORST case of writer's block I've yet to come across. I could barely write anything for almost TWO whole weeks, it was so bad. But I finally overcame it, thank God. :P

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Seven: The Seeds Are Planted**

"Hold still, Dreo!" exclaimed Gregor. "How am I supposed to fix your hair if you keep moving around?" He sighed and said, "You're like a restless hog-monkey during mating season." Dreo shuddered at the thought of such a spectacle.

"I don't even know why we're even bothering to get me dressed up for my date," the Airbender muttered. "She can't even see!" His brother slapped him on the upside of his head. "Ow!" exclaimed Dreo. "What was that for?"

"That comment was totally uncalled for," replied Gregor smartly. "Toph can't be blamed for her condition because she was born that way." He continued to comb Dreo's disorderly hair as he said, "Besides, it's a date. You should get dressed up for it even if she is blind. I bet she can feel what kind of clothes you have on or how your hair is done. Now remember, Dreo, you have to-"

"Uphold our family's honor by finding a suitable partner for marriage as well as uphold the honor of any woman that I date or marry, I know," interjected Dreo in a bored tone of voice. He earned another slap to the back of his head and he yelled, "Ouch! Stop that, Gregor! I'm not a little kid anymore!" But Gregor ignored his brother's protests as he put on the final touches.

"There," he said proudly, "that's perfect." He looked to the door of their bedroom and called out, "All right guys, you can come in now and feast your eyes at the new and improved Dreo." The sliding door opened and Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Iroh all filed into the room. They were all stunned at the transformation of Dreo from rowdy, Airbending monk to civilized-looking gentleman. His monk robes had been replaced by Earth Kingdom robes, green as a verdant field and grand as the long grass of the plains. His hair had been pulled into the Fire Nation top-knot, giving the young man a regal look. The arrow on his forehead was covered with a headband, the arrows on his hands were covered with gloves, while the arrows on his feet were covered up by his shoes.

"I must say, Gregor," said Zuko, "you certainly know how to make a person look impressive." Iroh stroked his beard and nodded in affirmation of what his nephew had said.

"We should go see if the girls are done with Toph yet," said Aang. He also wanted to see how Katara was doing, for she was never out of his mind. As they started walking out, however, Sokka jumped in with some last-minute advice for Dreo.

"Wait a minute!" cried out the Water Tribe warrior. Looking to Dreo, he said, "Remember kid, Toph's a tough girl. You've got to use everything you know in order to win her over. Don't let her toughness get in your way." His face lit up as he realized something else. "Oh, and don't do anything to make her mad either. Otherwise she'll pummel you into the ground faster than you can say 'I'm a purple platypus-bear with silver wings and an polka-dot bill!'" He put on a cheery smile and added, "Other than that you'll be fine!" Dreo's face had turned pale at the prospect of being beaten up and possibly maimed by the blind Earthbender. The men all walked out of the bedroom together, eager to see how the women had done with Toph.

Just across the hall was Toph's bedroom. Katara guarded the door as she sat in a chair, denying access to any who tried to enter. Sun Tzu was sitting next to her, a bored look on his little face and lighting small flames in his hand as he snapped his fingers. Zuko shot a look at his son, at which the young Prince sat up straight. The Fire Lord smiled at Sun Tzu, who nervously smiled back. Aang and Katara locked eyes and smiled, glad to just be near one another. There was a slight tap from Toph's door, which must have been some sort of signal for Katara stood up, pushed the chair aside, and happily announced, "Gentlemen, may I present to you…Miss Toph Bei Fong!" She slid the door open and Suki and Mai stepped out first and joined Katara, revealing their handiwork with the blind Earthbender.

At the sight of Toph, all the men's jaws dropped in astonishment. She may have been the daughter of the Bei Fong family, but she looked as if she were rather the Earth King's daughter; in other words, a Princess in every right. Her style completely blew Dreo's out of the water. Her dress was a light green color with golden trim on the sleeves and along the flowing sides. She had a light blue eye-liner on, which brought out the pale green of her eyes. Her cheeks were slightly powdered rosy-red, and her hair was up in its usual bun which was held back by a golden hair band. She had on golden earrings in the shape of the symbol of Earthbending, and her space bracelet was still on her right wrist. She had a slight smile on her radiant face, seemingly pleased with what she felt that she looked like.

Sokka, unfortunately, was the first to speak up. "Well well well, Toph," he said jokingly, "you actually look pretty for once!" He began laughing at his own joke, but after seeing the disapproving looks on everyone's faces he stopped and blushed. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I couldn't resist. I figured after all the joking she's done with me in the past, I thought I'd get back at her." He saw Katara giving him a stern look, and he fell silent as he looked down.

"It's okay, Sokka," Toph said nonchalantly. "I'll just get back at you some other time, but for now Dreo and I have a date tonight." She walked up to Dreo and hooked her arm into his, causing him to blush. "Huh," she said as she sensed what he looked like, "don't you like nice, Air Boy?" Before Dreo could respond, the two walked out of the tea shop and into the setting sunlight.

The rest of the gang watched from the stone railing as the couple walked down the street. Katara took hold of Aang's hand and leaned against him, and Suki did the same with Sokka. Zuko put his arm around Mai as she put an arm around his waist, her free hand holding that of her son's. Iroh had a huge smile on his face as he stroked his beard once again.

Gregor had a look of immense pride on his face, but also some traces of sadness in his proud eyes as well. "Dreo and I are similar and different in so many ways," he began, "and we've both had different experiences in our lives. Sure I may be a master Firebender and the Fire Lord's right hand man, but my brother has done something that I haven't." He looked down sadly and said, "He's gone out with a girl." At this Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki looked at Gregor with looks of complete and utter astonishment on their faces. Only Zuko, Mai, and Iroh did not react to what he had said, as if they had already known this little-known fact about Gregor.

"Are you serious?" blurted Sokka. "You've never gone out with a girl in your whole life?" Gregor's only reaction was a sad nod of affirmation, and he found himself unable to answer the Water Tribe warrior.

Zuko answered for his general. "The reason why," he said, "is because he spent the later part of his adolescence serving in the Fire Nation Army during The War and after it was over, he swore his loyalty to me and has tirelessly worked to bring to justice every single rogue general that had served under my father. The simple fact is that he just hasn't had time to find a girl." He looked to his general and said, "I hope you don't mind me divulging that sort of information."

"It's quite all right, Sire," replied Gregor, "but there is another reason." He sighed deeply and said, "In my youth, I was a shy boy. I found it hard to talk to girls no matter what I did. Besides, there wasn't any girl in the whole Fire Nation who would fall for me." He closed his eyes as he tried to conceal his feelings of loneliness.

"How can you say that?" asked Katara. "You're a complete gentleman. You're intelligent, noble, kind, and respectable." Aang could feel his wife's body tense up with concern for Gregor. She detached herself from the Avatar and began walking towards Gregor. "You must be feeling so lonely inside and-" she said as she reached out a hand to Gregor, but he suddenly cut her off by raising a hand to stop her from doing so.

"I don't need your sympathy, Katara," he harshly said. "I'm not a weakling or a coward. I'm strong enough to deal with this on my own." But his mood seemed to change after he had said that. He looked off into the distance and said somberly, "I've done so for a long time." He turned around and headed back into the tea shop, his armor shining in the red sunset. He went down the hallway to his room at the far end, and quietly went inside and closed the door. The rest of the gang had watched the proud general go in silence, unsure of what to say or do next.

"Who put a boarcupine in that guy's pants?" asked Sokka sarcastically. Suki nudged him as a signal to not say anything, a severe look on her face. Sokka looked down at his girlfriend with a look of surprise.

Katara held up her hands to her chest, anxiety present in her face. Aang could sense that she was tensing up inside and asked, "You're not going to just let him walk off and mope in his sorrow, are you?" His wife turned to him with empathy in her bright blue eyes. Aang smiled warmly and said, "I understand. Go ahead and talk with him. I know that your compassion will always drive you to help those who are suffering. I'll be waiting in our room when you're done talking with him." Katara smiled and nodded gratefully, and she walked inside.

As she approached Gregor's door, she drew in a deep breath to steady herself. The Waterbender was unsure of how she was going to help Gregor with his situation, but she was confident that she would come up with something. Right now, she just needed him to talk about his feelings and what was bothering him. As she stood before the door, she paused before entering. When she was ready, she slipped inside. The bedroom was simple enough, with a bed covered in green sheets against the far wall and a wooden dresser across from it. The faint sunlight streamed through the window on the right wall, giving the room a slight reddish hue. Gregor was sitting on the far edge of the bed so that he faced the doorway. He was holding a flame in his right hand absent-mindedly, as if he wasn't sure of what to do with it besides just looking at the dancing flames. There was a look of contemplation in his golden eyes, as his mind was deep in thought.

"Love is a lot like fire," began Gregor, "it can bring us warmth and comfort. It can also have a dark side as well and if we are not careful with our love, it can consume and destroy us in an instant. Feelings of betrayal and loss are examples of such things that can destroy love." He was silent for a bit, the flames reflecting in his bright eyes. He drew in a breath and said, "If a couple lets their love grow cold, it withers and dies out." To emphasize his point he reduced the heat of the flame in his hand, causing it to grow very small and cold. A sudden chill passed over Katara, causing her to shiver. "However," he continued, "if two people truly love another, the flames of their love will burn forever despite what life deals them." He increased the heat of his flame, and it grew until it was about twice its normal size. Katara could feel the warmth of the fire from where she was standing, and she wondered how Firebenders could stand the heat of their own flames. With her, water was cool and relaxing. Fire, on the other hand, seemed to almost threaten to go out of control at any moment and burn someone. Gregor clenched his hand, snuffing out the flame in his hand. He was silent for a few moments as he collected his thoughts. Finally, he looked up at Katara and said, "Forgive me for being so curt with you before. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." He held his head down in shame at what had happened just moments before.

"It's all right, Gregor," replied Katara. "You don't need to apologize." She stood there holding her enlarged stomach for a little while. She then asked, "Do you mind if I sit with you?" Gregor shook his head and the Waterbender made her way over to the bed and carefully sat down so she could support her baby as she leaned back. She looked over at the Firebender and asked, "Why don't you tell me what's been bothering you? You'll feel better once you do, trust me." She let out a friendly smile at Gregor, who weakly returned his own.

"Let me start from the beginning," he said. He drew in a breath and began, "When I was just a little boy in school, my parents could tell I was different then the other kids. I didn't have as many friends as the other kids did, and I was awkward around other people. My parents consulted a doctor about my condition, and he diagnosed me with a mental condition in which the development of the social part of my brain was slower than the rest. This caused me to be more socially inept than most people." He looked up and saw Katara's worried expression. "I learned to cope with it as I grew older," he continued, "and in my later school years I made some really good friends. As a teenager I had liked a few girls, but I never worked up the courage to ask them out." He hung his head down again and closed his eyes, again trying to conceal his hurt and lonely feelings from the Waterbender's prying eyes.

"The thing I don't understand," Katara said, "is why no girl would be romantically interested in you. Like I said before, you're a complete gentleman. You have the utmost respect for women; you're kind, honest, sincere, intelligent, a powerful Firebender, and Zuko's right hand man. What's preventing you from finding a girl? Why don't you express your feelings of loneliness or sadness to anyone?" She looked to Gregor for an answer.

"The reason why," Gregor said, "is because I want to find a girl who is of similar social ranking to me. I have to uphold my family's honor, and the only way to do that is to marry the daughter of a nobleman. As to why I conceal my emotions, it's because I'm a man. Real men don't allow their hurt feelings to hinder them in their life endeavors." Looking at Katara with boldness in his gold eyes, he said, "As Fire Lord Zuko's top general, I cannot show any weakness or frailty to anyone despite how lonely I feel. I must be completely secure of my own emotions, for any weakness would bring dishonor to my family. I couldn't live with myself if I did something like that. Besides, I don't need anyone's pity or sympathy on my behalf. As I said before, I am not a weakling or a coward." A fierce and proud look entered the noble Firebender's eyes as he continued to stare at Katara.

"Gregor," Katara said patiently, "you can't help you fall in love with. It doesn't matter what that person's social ranking is, how much wealth or honor their family has, or even how much land they own." She paused for a moment and said, "Take Aang and I, for example. I was just a simple girl from the Southern Water Tribe, while he was the Avatar. Obviously on the social scale we were light-years apart, but that didn't matter. He cared about me as an individual, and I felt the same about him. Eventually our friendship turned into mutual feelings of romantic affection and spiritual connectedness with one another, and the rest is history." She finished her story with a smile as she and Gregor looked down at her enlarged stomach.

She looked back at Gregor and said, "Showing your emotions to others is neither cowardly nor weak; rather it is what makes a person stronger. I remember one time ten years ago in the Si Wong Desert when some Sandbenders had captured Appa, Aang was so angry and sad over losing him that at one point he even entered the Avatar State. I was able to calm him down, though. He tried to hide his hurt feelings because he believed he was being strong by doing so, but he soon realized that he was really running from what he was truly feeling. Being a man doesn't mean you have to do everything by yourself. What makes a man what he can truly be is the fact that he can rely on others for support during times of hardship."

She thought of something at that moment and said, "You know, I bet that there's a girl out there who feels just as lonely as you do and who thinks she'll never find love. But you'll be the one who completely sweeps her off of her feet with your style and charm as well as your fiery passion." Gregor smiled a little, seeming to enjoy the thought of having a girl all his own. "How about this," proposed Katara, "after Toph and Dreo get back from their date, you and I will take a stroll around Ba Sing Se and see if there are any girls who catch your eye." At this a look of surprise came across Gregor's face as he blushed, which caused Katara to laugh. "I don't think I've ever seen you blush before, Gregor," she chuckled, and his blush reddened even more at her comment.

"No, I couldn't ask you to do that," he protested, "especially not in your current condition. It would be wrong of me to have you walking around all of Ba Sing Se when you are soon expecting a child. It would go against my honor as a true gentleman of the Fire Nation." Katara began laughing again, and Gregor asked, "What seems to be so funny about that?"

"Oh nothing," she said, "it's just you men and your notion of honor. You all act like honor is essential to your survival." She looked at Gregor and said, "I'm offering my help to you because you're my friend and I couldn't live with myself knowing that you were hurting inside." She slowly got up and said, "I'll see you later, Gregor."

She began walking towards the door, leaving Gregor alone on the bed. Just as she opened it to leave, he called out, "Wait Katara." When she looked back, he smiled and said, "Thank you. You're…a true friend. No one has ever helped me like this before, and your kind and generous act caught me off-guard." He paused and said, "You're a truly wonderful woman, and I can see why Aang loves you so much. Again, thank you." Katara smiled sweetly and closed the door behind her, leaving Gregor behind with a hopeful smile on his face.

* * *

><p><em>Why am I so nervous?<em> anxiously thought Dreo to himself as he tentatively picked at his rice with his slender chopsticks. He and Toph had stopped at a restaurant called the Roaming Tiger-Bear for their dinner. Dreo ordered rice (due to his vegetarian lifestyle as an Air Nomad) while Toph ordered smoked and diced boar-cow with a side of vegetables. It amazed Dreo that even though Toph was blind, she had no trouble eating her food. His admiration for the blind Earthbender grew even stronger than before, for he had never seen anyone who had a disability be able to cope with it as well as her. But he noticed there was something different about the way she was eating. When he had seen her eat before their date, she pretty much ate like a guy would, gulping down as much food as she could. But now she was acting very delicate with her food, much more like how a woman of noble birth (such as herself) would eat. The Airbender thought that this change in her behavior was quite strange, but he said nothing on the matter to the blind Earthbender. In Toph's mind, she knew exactly why she was eating the way she was now. In total contrast to her stubborn and hard-headed nature, she was actually trying to _impress_ the Air Nomad with her mannerisms. But she wasn't about to admit it to Dreo's face. She still planned on being Tough-As-Rock Toph, the greatest Earthbender in the world. The two of them continued to eat in silence as the hustle and bustle of the restaurant around them isolated them from the outside world.

"So…Toph," said Dreo at-length as he tried to think of something to say. He remembered Sokka's advice to not offend her or otherwise it was his own funeral. He silently gulped and asked, "Have you ever been on a date before?" He tensed up as he waited for Toph to explode, but the explosion never came. The blind Earthbender continued eating calmly as if her date had asked a completely normal question.

Instead, Toph simply answered, "No, I've never been on a date before. I've been too busy the past ten years to have much time for this kind of crud." But this was a carefully constructed half-lie. While it was true she had indeed been busy with the reconstruction of the world, she knew that no guy could ever be attracted to her. That was her way of thinking until she met Dreo, who had completely swept her off of her feet. However, since Dreo did not have the ability (like her) to detect if someone was lying, she knew her face would not betray the lie and that the Airbender would buy her story. "How about you?" she asked in return. "Is this your first date as well?"

Dreo smiled confidently and said with bravado, "Nope. You see, back in my youthful days in the Fire Nation, I was quite the chick magnet. Girls couldn't keep their hands off of me." He puffed his chest out and sat up straight, his hands clenched and set against his hips in pride. But Toph could feel his nervous shaking increase, and his heartbeat had quickened as well. Just from these signs alone, she knew that he was lying.

She shook her head and said pointedly, "I can tell that you're lying, you know." Dreo's look of pride fell of his face as he sunk back down into his chair, his face red with embarrassment. "Why don't you tell the truth, you sack of hot air?" she asked indignantly. Dreo's redness vanished as a sad look came across his face.

"Well…" he began, "back in the Fire Nation, I really wasn't that popular with many of the other children. The reason why was because I couldn't Firebend at all. I know that not everyone who's born in the Fire Nation is a Firebender, but anyone who was born into our family was usually a Firebender. My brother was born during the summer while I was born in the autumn, and thus his Firebending affinity was much stronger than mine was." He looked down sadly at his unfinished bowl of rice and said, "All of the kids at my school made fun of my inability to Firebend. They called me every name in the book, and even then they came up with some of their own nasty insults. Even my own parents seemed disappointed with me." He closed his eyes and said, "It's like people could only see me for my disability rather than for my inner strength and for my character and personality." He felt a twinge of pain well up inside of him as all of those hurtful memories came rushing back to him at once. He sighed and said, "The only person who ever did truly see me for who I really am was Gregor. He stood by me all the time whenever we were younger, and we had a special bond like no other brothers in the whole world had. He was one of the few people I could truly depend on. I know that my parents loved me very much, but Gregor loved me even more than them." He struggled to not cry, not to show any sort of weakness to this proud Earthbender.

Toph couldn't help but think of how similar his situation was to her own. While he may not have been born blind like her, he was born without the ability to Firebend into a nation that followed the ways of the fiery element. Like her, people saw Dreo as "helpless" because he couldn't do something most people in his society could. An interesting thought then entered her mind, and she vocalized her question: "Is that the reason why you left your home when you were fourteen? You wanted to be able to learn a bending style so that you could prove yourself to your parents and everyone else you knew, right?" The Airbender was silent for a long time, a look of contemplation in his stormy gray eyes. She was asking him this question because she had done something similar ten years ago with her parents. She wanted to prove to them that she wasn't the helpless, little blind daughter they thought that she was.

"Yes," admitted Dreo, "that's exactly the reason why I left home. I wanted to prove that I could be as good of a bender that my brother is. I wanted to prove that I could do something useful with my life, and I thought that finding the Air Nomads would bring my parents to see me in a different light." He chuckled and said, "Gregor thought I was crazy at the time to go running off into the world searching for a nation that didn't even exist anymore, but he supported my decision nonetheless. I left my home eight years ago, and here I sit today on a date with the great Toph Bei Fong. Destiny's a funny thing, isn't it Blind Bandit?" Toph tried hard not to smile at the Airbender's teasing, but she couldn't stop herself in time. Dreo laughed loudly and said, "Guess I can get Tough-As-Rocks Toph to crack a smile after all!" He continued laughing as the blind Earthbender began to blush, no longer afraid of poking fun at her. Surprisingly, Toph was glad that he was taking such an interest in her. Dreo eventually settled down and the two of them continued eating their supper, talking about a great many things from Earthbending tournaments, the lifestyle of the Air Nomads, and even personal hygiene.

Once they had paid for their food, they left the restaurant and decided go sight-seeing around Ba Sing Se. They walked to the Inner Wall where it had been blown apart by Iroh during the invasion of the Capital City by the Order of the White Lotus, and where the tower of Fire Nation tanks created by King Bumi still stood. They traveled all throughout the city, talking as they went along their merry way. Dreo found that despite her stubborn attitude and quick temper, he got along with her quite naturally. They both laughed at the same crummy jokes and they soon learned how the other one operated. Toph was actually enjoying her date with Dreo. Like before, he never saw her as helpless or needing of anyone else's assistance. On the contrary, he seemed to admire her strong-willed and independent nature. All feelings she had had about Sokka just the night before vanished into thin air, for she had found someone else to place her romantic interest in. She knew with all her heart that Dreo could be the one she had been looking for all along.

They made their way back to the tea shop as the moon was climbing higher in the sky. Dreo decided that they could cut through a deserted alleyway as a shortcut. Toph was so preoccupied with Dreo that she didn't even sense two people slip in behind them into the alley. A voice behind them called out, "Well well well, what do we have here?" Toph and Dreo whipped around to see two gangly men behind them, and they knew that they were in trouble. "A pair of lovers who have lost their way?" said the man on the right. This man's clothes were dirty and tattered, his stench indicating that he hadn't bathed in about a month. His friend on the left was just as repulsive, and both looked as if they were desperate. Both of them pulled out knives and slowly approached Toph and Dreo. "Just give us all your money and no one will get hurt," said the man on the right.

"Fat chance," scoffed Toph, and the two muggers scowled angrily. The two men drew closer, and Dreo could sense his fear rising. But Toph kept her cool and whispered, "On the count of three, I'll knock them over and you blow them out and away from us." Dreo nodded, and Toph shouted "Three!" The two muggers jumped in surprise at the blind Earthbender's outburst, presenting her and Dreo with their opportunity to counterattack.

Toph stomped her foot and sent out a shockwave in front of her, knocking the two would-be-muggers off of their feet and onto their backs. Whipping his arms around in a throwing motion, Dreo blew the muggers out of the alleyway on a gust of wind and around the corner. There was a thunderous crash as the two muggers hit something, and an old man cried out, "My cabbages! Someone's going to pay for this!" Dreo's face flushed at the result of his actions, while Toph was just laughing so hard that her eyes were scrunched shut and that she was doubled over.

"Oops," said Dreo. "Gotta go!" He suddenly picked up Toph in his arms, and her laughing stopped as she realized she couldn't see anymore. Before she could protest, Dreo air-jumped onto the roof tops above them and jumped from building to building in an attempt to flee from the wrath of the Cabbage Merchant. Toph held onto the Airbender for dear life, her arms wrapped tightly around his strong neck. She realized that she was blushing, but this time she welcomed the burning sensation. There something about the way he held her that she liked a lot. His confident grip made her feel safe and comforted, like nothing in the world could harm her when she was in his arms. As she felt the wind rush past her ears, she felt freer than she ever had in her entire life. She knew that she owed this newfound freedom to the young man that was now carrying her across the rooftops of Ba Sing Se like some secret vigilante hero. Her blush reddened even more as she realized that Dreo has now, quite literally, swept her off of her feet.

Once Dreo felt that they were a safe distance away from the angry vender, he landed on a rock bridge that jutted across a small stream and connected two sides of houses and stores. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That sure was something, wasn't it? You know, we make a pretty good team." He then realized that he was still holding Toph and that she couldn't see where they were at the present moment. "Oh, sorry," he said. "I guess…uh…I better put you down now." He lowered her from his arms, but something strange happened as he did so. Her hands were still gripping his shoulders, and his arms had gone around her waist. Both of them blushed, but neither of them let go as they realized what was happening. Something had changed between them, a new sensation that neither of them had felt until this night.

Toph could feel Dreo's hand touch her chin as he had her look up at him, for she was just slightly shorter than he was. She could feel both of their hearts beat faster and their breathing quicken. She could feel herself leaning in towards him, giving in to her urges and basic instincts. Dreo leaned in as well, and the two closed their eyes. They locked lips as they engaged in a full, open mouth kiss. All they could feel in those moments was the soft touch of their lips and their arms as they held each other closer. Toph slid her hands down from Dreo's shoulder onto his chest as she allowed herself to revel in the moment. She didn't want this act to ever end, for this is what she has wanted all of these years. Dreo's mind was filled with energy like he had never felt before. He felt more confident and sure of himself than he had in his entire life. Toph stood up on tiptoes as she leaned more into the kiss, and Dreo obliged her by allowing himself to lean back. They could both feel the heat rising off of each other's bodies, and it only intensified the kissing. After what seemed like a lifetime, they separated from the kiss and stood staring at each other for a long time.

"Well," Dreo said distantly, "that was…absolutely the most wonderful thing I have ever done in my entire life." Toph blushed at his comment about the kiss, and in her mind she whole-heartedly agreed with him. He chuckled and jokingly added, "Who would have thought the great Toph Bei Fong was an even greater kisser?" Feeling suddenly embarrassed, Toph playfully punched Dreo in the shoulder. "Yeah, I probably deserved that," he said as he smiled at her.

"Yeah, you did," replied Toph playfully. "You also deserve this as well," she continued and kissed Dreo on the cheek, causing him to blush. "I guess this is what I've been missing out on all of these years," she said dreamily. "I don't know why I didn't try doing this sooner," she chided herself. She could feel Dreo pull in her closer to him, and she gladly leaned her head against his chest.

"Maybe you were just waiting for the right type of guy to come along," offered Dreo. They stood there under the soft moonlight for a little while, simply enjoying each other's presence and physical proximity. Dreo then looked down at Toph and said, "Hey, I'll be right back. I've got a present for you." But before Toph could ask what it was, he said, "I'm not telling you what it is though. It's a surprise." Both of them smiled as they let go of each other. "I'll be back in just a minute," promised the Airbender as he kissed Toph's hand. He then jumped into the air and behind a building, leaving the blind Earthbender alone on the bridge.

Toph blew a strand of hair out of her face and smiled to herself. Now she knew how all her other female friends felt, what it was like being in love. It was as if there was someone there in her life that made the world seem like a better place just because that one person was in it. She felt a multitude of emotions rush through her mind, and she couldn't help but feel girly. She couldn't wait to tell Katara all about her date, and she thought of how happy the Waterbender would be when she found out that she and Dreo had kissed under a moonlit sky. The blind Earthbender considered this night to be the best night of her young life. She hugged herself as she remembered how Dreo's arms had felt around him, and she eagerly awaited his return to her.

On a nearby rooftop, Dreo watched Toph as she was alone on the bridge. He was confident that he was up high enough that her seismic senses wouldn't be able to detect him. He looked inside his robe as he eyed his gift to Toph, and he smiled to himself. When he looked back at his new love interest, he could see her hugging herself and his smile grew even larger. Toph was such an amazing woman, and he wanted to be with her no matter what. He drew in a breath to steady himself and muttered, "Here goes nothing." But before he could jump down, he felt a rocky weight clamp his mouth shut as another weight grabbed his midsection and pulled him back and off the building. He let out a muffled yell as he fell into the dark alleyway behind the building he was just on, and he remembered no more.

An hour and a half later, Toph was still standing on the bridge awaiting Dreo's return. He had been gone for far longer than he said he would be, and Toph knew that something was up. She knew that he hadn't been lying, but she hadn't been thinking straight enough at the time to tell if he even was lying. Feelings of pain and betrayal welled up inside of her, and this well leaked as tears began flowing down her face. She ran back to the tea shop as fast as she could, only feeling anguish as her feet carried her further and further. She ran through the tea shop and back into her room as quietly as she could. But once she was in her room she threw herself onto the bed and buried her face in the pillows, crying her pale green eyes out of their sockets. She stopped as she felt Katara enter the room, not wanting to betray how she was feeling at the moment. Katara looked down upon the Earthbender with a happy and expectant look on her face, but once she was seated next to Toph she could tell something was wrong. Her happiness turned to concern, and she rolled Toph over onto her back. She gasped when she saw the tears that were streaming down her friend's face, and the Waterbender picked up Toph and held her close as the blind Earthbender continued to cry long into the night.


	9. Chapter Eight: Deceptions and Plans

All right. *Takes deep breath* I have FINALLY finished this chapter, and it turned out a lot longer than I had originally intended. Nonetheless, I believe this is one of my best chapters thus far (Just wait til I get to the finale way down the road. ;) ). It is also my longest so far, being at just over 14,000 or so words. Again, I apologize for having to make you all wait so long. I think I may have found myself repeating some details as I progressed due to the length of this chapter. I may have gotten a bit lenghty in my paragraphs, but that's just my writing style sometimes so please bear with me. But what do you think will happen between Dreo and Toph? Will Droph (Dreo X Toph) come to pass, or are they doomed? You'll find out, along with some other surprises I threw in as well. ;)

Again, please enjoy reading this and please, please, please review! I hate to be reduced to begging, but I would like to know if you're all reading this. I've had two other people leave reviews, and I thank them for their feedback. So I'd like to give a shoutout to these two people, FF Users Friedchicken23 and Choked. You two are awesome! :D See? If everyone who reads my story would leave a review, you might just get some recognition. :P You're all awesome even if you don't leave any reviews, but...I'd still like to see them. :P Anyways, on with the story!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Eight: Deceptions and Plans**

Having had his nightly respite to the land of dreams and fantasies, Avatar Aang slowly opened his eyes as the new morning light shone through the single window on the far wall. He yawned loudly and stretched his arms out widely, relieving his aching muscles from the stiffness that they had endured overnight. As he looked over to his right he thought he would see the sleeping form of his wife, but he instead saw only messed up bed coverings. He deduced that she must have woken up sometime in the night whenever Toph and Dreo came back from their date. He chuckled at his memory of her last night before they went to sleep, for she was giddy with anticipation at Toph's revelation of the all the details of her date with Dreo. He knew Katara cared deeply about Toph's wellbeing and that the two of them were like sisters. Not wanting to waste a moment of the day, he pushed himself up out of bed with a cushion of air and lightly landed on his feet. Thinking of his wife, he neatly made the bed so that it looked as pristine as the night before. He put on his master robe over his bare chest, ready to face the new day.

Just like his Sifu Toph had taught him, he extended his seismic senses in order to determine who was still in the tea shop. He can sense that Mai, Suki, and Sun Tzu were gone, but he assumes that they all went out shopping together. He could also feel that Zuko and Iroh were getting ready for their council meeting with the Earth King today, which Aang knew he would have to attend. Sokka, however, was still dead asleep in his room and Aang chuckled knowing that it was nigh impossible to rouse this particular Water Tribe Warrior from the world of slumber. But he was slightly surprised that he couldn't feel the presence of his fellow Airbender anywhere in the tea shop. Instead, what he felt were the presences of the proud Gregor and his burdened Katara sitting in a chair, both of them waiting outside Toph's door. He extended his senses into the blind Earthbender's room, and he could feel that she was also still in bed. His seismic senses weren't as advanced as that of his Sifu Toph and thus he couldn't read the physical signs that people gave off; he could only detect the presence of any person his subterranean shockwaves encountered.

Deciding that he would begin the day with a positive attitude, he put a cheery smile on his face and started walking towards the door. He opened the door with a flourish and stepped as he closed his eyes happily and exclaimed, "Good morning, Katara! Good morning, Gregor!" But when there was no response from either Katara or Gregor, he peeked one eye open to look upon them, and his happy expression dropped off of his face. Katara was sitting solemnly in her chair, her tender hands rubbing her enlarged stomach. Her eyes were downcast, full of worry and pain. Aang immediately became concerned; even more so when he looked upon Gregor. The noble Firebender was leaned against the wall on the opposite side of Toph's door from where Katara was sitting, his arms folded angrily across his chest. Hate and anger smoldered inside of his golden eyes as these emotions fueled his inner fire. His eyebrows were scrunched together in angry frustration, and a scowl dominated his visage. Aang could almost literally feel the anger radiating off the normally calm man, and he wondered what could have possibly happened to cause this reaction in Gregor. He looked to his sullen wife and asked, "What's going on, Katara?" She didn't say anything at first, but she did bring her eyes up into contact with that of her husband. Aang could feel the pain that she was feeling, and he instantly knew that she was concerned for someone.

"Come here," she said softly, and Aang obeyed. He stooped down next to her so that their eyes were level. He took hold of her hand, and he felt as she squeezed his back in response to his comforting touch. As Aang looked deeper into Katara's eyes, he could see that they were bloodshot, as if she had been crying recently. His eyes looked pleadingly into hers, silently begging the partner of his heart and soul to tell him what was troubling her so he could alleviate her pain. She drew in an unsteady breath and said, "Something happened between Toph and Dreo on their date last night." As she said this, Gregor began clenching his hands so hard that his knuckles started to turn white. Katara's voice began to break as she continued. "Actually…Dreo did something horrible to Toph…he…he…" She found herself unable to say anything else, and she closed her eyes as tears of sadness for her friend began to form. Beside her, a growl had begun to emanate from deep within Gregor's throat.

It broke the Avatar's heart to see his love in so much pain and despair. He wanted to do whatever he could to make her feel better, to comfort her in any way, shape, or form. "What did he do?" kindly asked Aang. "Did he…" he paused and gulped before saying the fatal words, "…deflower her?" Aang could feel Gregor's threatening glare upon him, but the monk didn't care. He was determined to get to the bottom of this. Katara answered his question with a frantic shake of her head, and the Avatar breathed a sigh of relief. He always saw Toph as innocent in that regard and he knew she would never go so far with a guy before marriage. He was just eliminating the worst case scenario right off the bat, and now that it was out of the way he continued on with his investigation. "Well, then what did he do?" he softly implored. Katara could only shake her head in disbelief, still trying to deal with the reality of the situation. Just as Aang was about to ask her again, the Firebender next to them suddenly spoke up.

"He abandoned her," said Gregor with such coldness that even Aang shivered at the sound of his voice. Husband and wife looked over at the General, who was so shaking with rage. "My…_brother_…" he spat out the word as if it were something repulsive, "left Toph standing all alone on a bridge." He shook his head and said, "Dreo has dishonored my family because of his actions." He held up an open hand in front of him, gazing upon it as if it was something he desperately wanted to crush into nothingness. "When I get my hands on him…" He clamped his hand shut as it formed a fist, and a mini-explosion of fire flashed out between his fingers. "I'll make him wish he was never born," he finished with a fiery conviction as he looked down at Aang and Katara. Aang's eyes widened with shock as he realized what Gregor was planning on doing to Dreo, and he quickly stood up.

"No!" he cried out in protest. "Violence isn't the answer," he continued as he swept his hand in front of him in a downward motion, as if he was trying to ward off any negative emotions that were emanating from Gregor. As an Air Nomad, he was opposed to any sort of unnecessary violence upon another living thing. He thought that this gentleman of the Fire Nation was above resorting to such an act, but he was afraid that in this case he might have been wrong. "I know what your brother did was wrong, but that's no reason for you to bring physical harm upon him!" he said loudly as he stared into Gregor's golden eyes. He could see that Gregor wasn't listening to him, but Aang knew he had to try and resolve this situation peacefully.

Gregor scoffed at Aang. "You wouldn't understand what it's like to lose your honor," he retorted angrily. "Not only has Dreo brought dishonor to our family, but to the Bei Fong family as well!" He snorted and small jets of flame shot out of his nose. "If Dreo were a Firebender, I would immediately challenge him to an Agni Kai. If he lost, then I would banish him and any of his descendants from our family. That has been our way for countless generations." Aang couldn't believe what his ears were hearing. Gregor was so set in the old ways and traditions of his family that he wouldn't even consider any other possible explanations to this situation.

"You're wrong," countered the monk. "I do know what it's like to lose my honor." He looked down at the floor and said, "After I woke up from being shot by Azula and almost dying as a result, I learned from Sokka that the whole world thought I was dead." As he said this, he could feel Katara's hand slip into his in order to comfort him. He sighed and said, "I felt like I had failed the world again, and that in order for me to set things right I would have to defeat Fire Lord Ozai by myself." He then looked at Katara and smiled, and she returned the smile. "But I soon learned that I didn't have to go it alone. I had all of my friends with me to back me up." He squeezed Katara's hand, and instantly both of their minds went back to that day when they set out in the Fire Nation on their own. He looked back at Gregor with pride in his gray eyes and said, "There must be some sort of explanation for why Dreo did what he did, but you just need to calm down and hear him out." Gregor grunted begrudgingly and looked away from Aang, his fiery hate still burning deep inside. Aang shook his head at the older man's stubbornness, and then he stooped back down next to Katara, and asked "How do you think Toph's doing?"

Katara sighed and replied, "Better, I think. She finally got to sleep about two hours ago. After she fell asleep, I woke up Gregor and told him what had happened and…" she paused and looked at Gregor to indicate the result of her talk with him, although the Firebender didn't seem to notice her at all. She looked back at Aang, who nodded in understanding of what she was saying. A sad look entered the Waterbender's eyes as she said, "Her heart has been completely broken, Aang. She was finally able to find someone to put all her love and trust in, and he just tore it all apart in an instant. What makes it even worse for her," she continued, "is that they kissed." Aang's eyes widened in surprise at this revelation, now realizing that the situation was more serious than he had first thought. Suddenly, Gregor started laughing. Aang and Katara shared confused looks with each other and then they looked at the Firebender with same confused looks. "What seems to be so funny?" warily asked Katara.

"What?" replied Gregor. "Oh, it's nothing." He chuckled cynically to himself. "Actually, I realized something about you Air Nomads," he said as he directed his attention towards Aang, piquing the monk's interest. "The Air Nomads are just as flighty and unpredictable as the air they bend." Katara could feel Aang tense up next to her, and she didn't like the tone in the Firebender's voice. It sounded very harsh and critical, as if he was blaming Aang's people for what had happened last night. "Since they don't like to be tied down in one place for a long period of time," continued Gregor, "it would make sense that they would abandon a girl so quickly." Aang started to become angry, a feat not easily achieved with the usually calm and serene monk. Gregor chuckled again, as if his criticism of the Air Nomads was some sort of sick joke to him. "If this is all that the Air Nomads had to teach my brother was the art of deception in courting women, then it's a shame that they weren't wiped out long ago." Katara's eyes widened in shock, her mouth hung open in sheer astonishment at the General's unusual arrogance. Aang, on the other hand, was furious with Gregor. His free hand was clenched into a fist, and his teeth were locked in a grit of anger. Gregor scoffed and said, "At first I was surprised to see the Air Nation alive and well after 100 years of absence from the world, but now I see that they have perhaps only survived so long through the use of _concubines-_" He practically spat out the last word, as if the Air Nomads were so indecent and unbecoming that they had to reproduce outside of their culture. However, Aang would have none of it. He let go of Katara's hand and stood up, quickly making his way towards Gregor. He drew back his right arm and punched Gregor square across the jaw, causing the Firebender to reel back unexpectedly and fall to the floor. When Gregor recovered and sat up, a conflagration of hatred sprang up in his piercing golden eyes as he sorely rubbed his hurt jaw. Katara could only look on in horror at what her husband had done, while Aang stood over the fallen General with an anger welling inside of him like he had never felt in his whole life.

"That is enough!" furiously declared the Avatar. He pointed a menacing finger at Gregor and viciously growled, "You can throw at me and my people all the lies and insults that your hardened heart desires, but…" he faltered as he looked at Katara, whose eyes were desperately pleading him to not to hurt Gregor. Aang continued his speech as he looked back upon the fallen Gregor. "But when you go so far as to insinuate that any woman who bears the child of an Airbender is a…a…a _concubine_," he shuddered at the very sound of the vile word, "that is where I draw the line. You will NOT say such slanderous things about my wife, for she is infinitely greater than any woman on this earth." Katara's heart fluttered as Aang defended her honor and integrity against the accusations of the blinded Gregor against the Airbenders. She had never seen Aang stand up against anyone with such forceful courage, not even Zuko or Toph. Aang continued in his retaliation against Gregor, refusing to let up for even a second. "I love Katara more than anything in the world, even more than life itself. She is my eternal partner, my forever girl, my soul mate." Katara blushed, for she had never seen Aang divulge such intimate details to anyone but her. It was if he was reassuring himself that what Gregor was saying was not at all true, but she knew deep in her heart that he meant every word that he said. Aang finished up by saying, "If I ever catch you saying such things about Katara again, I swear on my duty as the Avatar that you'll regret it. Nothing, and I mean nothing, comes between me and my family." He left his intimidating gaze to linger on the Firebender, but then his expression softened as his calm demeanor returned to him.

He offered a hand to help Gregor up, which the General hesitantly took. The Avatar hoisted the man back up on his feet, nodded in apology to him, and then turned back to look at Katara. She was smiling kindly at him, tears of gratitude beginning to form in her eyes as she looked upon the most important man in her life with admiration. Aang smiled back at her, and he helped her up out of the chair in order to hug her. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders while his went around her waist. He could feel his wife fighting to keep her tears of appreciation for his action from running down, and he rubbed her back with his hand in order to put her at ease. He could feel as her mouth slid up to his ear, her faint breathing blowing slightly upon his face. "Thank you," she whispered gratefully. "You have no idea how much this means to me." Aang felt his heart twinge at the sound of his wife's heartfelt gratitude.

"Katara…" he whispered softly into her ear, "I'm naturally protective of you, and I will do anything to make you happy. You know that as well as I do." He chuckled and quietly added, "My forever girl." He blew cold air into Katara's ear, causing her to shiver and giggle at the same time. He then started peppering her face with kisses, causing her to blush at his sudden display of affection in front of Gregor. Before she could stop him he started moving down her neck, and she tried her hardest to not moan with pleasure from his wet kisses on her soft skin. She prayed to the spirits above that her husband wouldn't start licking her neck as well, otherwise she would lose all control and the two would end up back in their bedroom to continue their heated exchange. She began rubbing her hands on Aang's chest, giving the Avatar untold pleasure as she caressed his muscular features. Soon the two locked lips as the fire of their passion threatened to consume them entirely.

Gregor had noticed that Aang started kissing Katara, and he awkwardly averted his eyes from the spectacle. He began to feel guilty about what he had said about the Air Nomads and about Katara. He knew he was letting his anger at Dreo get the better of him, and he was ashamed by this fact. "Aang," he began nervously, which caused the monk and his spouse to stop their passionate fest and take notice of the Firebender. "I want to apologize," he said remorsefully. "I let my anger cloud my judgment, which caused me to say the things I did. I know from my father's collection of scrolls on the Air Nomads that they are a magnificent people." He bowed reverently to the Avatar and his wife and said, "Please find it in your most benevolent hearts to forgive a foolish man." Both of their hearts went out towards the gentleman, for he was being sincere in his apology.

Katara and Aang looked at each other, and an understanding passed between them. They both nodded and looked back to the Firebender. "We forgive you, Gregor," said Aang proudly, and the General slowly came up from his bow. "Even the best of us can lose it sometimes," he assured the Firebender. Aang chuckled and said, "Just keep your head on straight when Dreo comes back, okay? I almost challenged you to an Agni Kai you were so out of control." Both Gregor and Katara smiled at Aang's joke, for he had never fought an Agni Kai before and they knew he certainly wouldn't start with an enraged Firebender as his opponent. But before the Firebender could respond, they heard a voice from two doors down on the right.

"Could you guys keep it down a bit? SOME of us are trying to get some SLEEP," incredulously said the drowsy newcomer. The three people already present looked down the hallway to see Sokka sticking his head out of his door. The Water Tribe Warrior was in shambles, his hair was unkempt, and there was a large drool stain on his shirt. His lethargic eyes (complete with sagging bags underneath) were only half-opened as he stared contemptuously at his sister, her husband, and the General. "I swear, the noise you guys make is enough to wake the dead, or at the very least every Badger-mole in the Earth Kingdom." Looking past them, he monumentally declared, "Well, look what the cat-owl dragged in." Aang, Katara, and Gregor followed Sokka's eyes to the person of his attention, and instantly they all began feeling mixed emotions as they spotted Dreo slowly sulking his way into the tea shop.

The Airbender was still dressed in the same clothes he had on the night before, which indicated that he never returned home from his date with Toph. But there seemed to be something different about the way he carried himself. He seemed to be walking in a sort of apathetic or aloof way, as if he didn't care about what was going on around him. His eyes seemed slightly glazed over, as if he was only half there at the moment. He looked at the assembled crowd and gave an uncaring nod. "Eh, morning," he said loosely. But as he noticed the disappointed looks on their faces, he halted in the middle of the tea shop. "Um…why's everyone looking at me like that?" asked Dreo as he rubbed the back of his head. Gregor's eyes flashed with anger, and he stepped forward towards his brother. He began to open his mouth to tell Dreo what exactly it was that he did, but at that moment there was a slow, whishing noise as a door was drawn open.

Everyone looked to see the origin of the noise, and they all saw Toph standing stock still in the framed doorway of her room. She was still all dressed up from the night before, but her appearance was very tragic. Dried makeup stains, the result of her crying, smeared her pale face and her normally pale eyes were completely bloodshot. Her hair was a disaster, having been messed up from her tossing and turning the night before. No one spoke a word as they nervously gazed upon the blind Earthbender, and those who knew what her dilemma was were afraid she would take all her anger on the first person she encountered regardless of whether it was Dreo or not. Toph slowly scanned the area using her Earthbending, seeking out her true target as she distinguished the presence of her friends. Her head slowly rotated towards the end of the hallway that entered into the tea shop, and her eyes widened as she felt Dreo's presence.

"YOU!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, which caused Dreo to jump almost half a foot off the floor at the sound of her voice. She let out a bloodcurdling scream as she ran straight for the Airbender, murderous intent clear in her pale green eyes as Dreo cowered in fear. When she got close to Dreo, she launched herself recklessly at him and caught him in the chest. Both of them fell to the floor, with Toph on top of Dreo, and she punched him so hard in his right eye that it became badly bruised. Dreo threw his arms up to defend himself from the onslaught, but the blind Earthbender was not deterred by his pitiful defense. She continued beating on his arms, and after a few brief seconds she tore a hole through his protective barrier. She wrapped her fingers around his throat and began choking Dreo. "I'LL KILL YOU!" she shrieked, and the Airbender made a strangled sound as he tried in vain to breathe. Before she could accomplish her task, Aang and Sokka tore Toph off of Dreo. She struggled against her captors with all of her strength, but it was of no use for her to do so. Dreo gasped for air, his face full of fear as he looked at Toph. Toph let loose a feral growl and shouted, "YOU ABANDONED ME, YOU…YOU…" She couldn't say anything else as she broke down into tears, and Aang and Sokka lowered her to the floor.

Toph sank to her knees, her hands covering her face as she howled a cry of sorrow. The blind Earthbender had indeed been broken, and everyone looked on in shock at the once proud girl. Katara was instantly by Toph's side, helping her up and taking the shattered girl into her motherly arms. The two women made their way back to Toph's room, the poor girl still weeping wretchedly as she poured all of her sorrow out for everyone to see. As Katara closed the door to Toph's room behind them, Zuko and Iroh emerged from their rooms to see what all the commotion was about. "What's going on out here?" questioned the Fire Lord. "It sounds like someone's dying out here." Dreo weakly stood up, and Zuko's eyes widened in surprise at the Airbender's new black eye. "What happened to you?" he asked. Aang turned towards Zuko and explained what the situation was between Toph and Dreo. The two Fire Nation Royals listened patiently as both Aang and Gregor recounted the details of the night before and what had happened just moments before. When they had finished speaking, Zuko and Iroh were silent for a few moments as they sorted out all of the facts out in their heads.

Iroh sighed and sadly shook his head. "This is most unfortunate indeed," he muttered. He looked at Dreo with disappointment on his elderly face and said, "You have done a terrible thing, young man. A broken heart takes a long time to mend, and I believe that Toph will be unhappy for a long time as a result of your selfish actions." Aang felt a twinge of pain in his own heart as he remembered his own heartbreak after Katara had rejected him on Ember Island all those years ago, and he felt sympathetic for his Sifu Toph. Dreo, however, didn't seem to care about what Iroh was saying. He was taking it all in stride, as if this was something he did all the time. Iroh stroked his beard and asked, "So where exactly did you run off to after you abandoned Toph?" The Airbender, who was picking the wax out of his ear, perked up at the question even though he really wasn't paying attention to Iroh.

"Psh. Isn't it obvious, you old windbag?" he replied sarcastically as he dropped his arms off to his sides. "I went to a bar in the Lower Ring, of course. I figured after dumping Toph I would get something to drink and-" But the Airbender was cut short when his brother gave him a back-handed slap across the face. When Dreo looked back, he saw only fury in Gregor's eyes.

"You…did…WHAT?" shouted Gregor angrily as he enunciated each word. He growled and sprouted fire daggers from his clenched fists. With a shout he began bringing one down on Dreo, which caused the Airbender to cower in fear. But before either Aang or Zuko could jump in to stop this madness, Gregor halted his attack. Dreo looked up and saw a small shaft of flickering flames just inches above his good eye. Sweat began to appear on Dreo's brow as thought of how close he had been to being permanently scarred by his older brother. The fire dagger disappeared, and Gregor drew himself up right. As Dreo stood back up, Gregor firmly stated, "I'm going to go to every bar, pub, and tavern in the Lower Ring until I find the one you were at last night. Then we'll see if what you say is true." As Gregor walked past Dreo, he purposefully and forcefully bumped against his younger brother's shoulder with his own shoulder. Dreo let out a small gasp of pain and rubbed his hurt shoulder, and everyone assembled watched as Gregor stormed out of the tea shop on his quest.

"Well," said Zuko plainly, "on that note, I say we should take our leave as well. We have urgent business with the Earth King today." When Zuko saw Aang's pained expression at the thought of leaving Katara again, he smiled kindly and said, "But if you need to take care of personal business first, I understand completely. You can catch up to us after you're done." Aang smiled at his friend, glad that the Fire Lord understood the position he was in. "Let's go, Uncle," he said to Iroh, and the two men started out together from the tea shop. As Aang watched them go, he realized what good friends that Zuko and Iroh were.

Aang turned to Sokka and said, "Listen, I need you to watch Katara while I'm gone with Zuko and Iroh. If anything happens, no matter how small or insignificant, I want you to get Katara out of here and bring her to the Earth King's Royal Palace immediately and find me in the Throne Room." He walked up to Sokka and put his hands on the Water Tribe Warrior's shoulders and said, "I'm trusting you with my two most sacred treasures in the world, Sokka. Do you understand how important this is to me?"

"Of course I do," honestly replied Sokka. "Don't worry, Aang. Nothing will happen to Katara or her baby on my watch." The two men nodded and gave each other a friendly hug, after which Aang took off in a burst of speed in order to catch up with Zuko and Iroh. As Sokka watched the Avatar go, he smiled and shook his head. "That kid sure is crazy about Katara," he muttered to himself, "but I'm glad that he loves her so much." He chuckled and said, "Imagine if it was Zuko who fell for Katara instead of Aang." He shuddered at the thought of his little sister being paired with his once-hated-enemy, and he quickly said, "On second thought, let's not. There are just some things in this world that weren't meant to be." With that happy thought in mind, he folded his arms contently behind his head and leaned against the wall.

* * *

><p><em>Toph's a complete mess,<em> sadly thought Katara to herself as she cradled the blind Earthbender in her arms, the same position she had been in since taking Toph back to her room after her run-in with Dreo. Toph was now quietly sobbing, having calmed down a bit from her emotional outburst. Katara knew that no words were needed at the moment; just the comforting touch of a friend was all that Toph required in her time of need. Katara knew how strong her friend normally was, and it upset her to see this proud woman she considered to be her little sister in so much pain and agony. The Waterbender continuously rocked Toph back and forth, letting her motherly nature take over. Katara knew she had to do everything she could to keep Toph as far away from Dreo as possible, and she suddenly felt a new-found anger towards the Air Nomad. How is that someone who learned the ways of her husband, Aang, could do something so heartless and cruel to a woman? It didn't make any sense to her, but she knew that Toph was hurt and that was reason enough to be against Dreo. She felt Toph stir in her arms, and she let her anger subside for the moment as her concern for Toph took over. "Are you feeling any better?" quietly asked Katara, her soothing voice bringing comfort to the blind Earthbender's ears.

"No," moaned Toph in such a low tone of voice that Katara had to strain her hearing to catch that single word. Katara's heart sank as she heard what Toph said, but she knew it was going to take a long time before Toph would be back to her old snarky and hard-headed self. "I really am blind," Toph said dejectedly, and Katara was shocked to hear Toph acknowledge her disability with such defeat and loss. "I should have seen this coming," choked Toph. "I was so drawn to him that he was all I could feel. I was blinded by my infatuation for him, and he took advantage of it." She began shaking as her frustration and sadness grew because her mistake of letting her guard down. Tears began falling down her pale face as she began sobbing. Katara's heart went out towards her friend, and she desperately wished that there was more she could do to help Toph. Through her crying Toph managed to choke out, "I'll be alone the rest of my life. No man will ever love me." She buried her face into Katara's chest as her sobbing intensified, pouring out all of her grief and sadness.

"Shh," whispered Katara as she held Toph closer to her. "Don't say that," she said quietly. "You'll find someone that will make you completely forget about Dreo. The first guy you go out on a date with or develop feelings for may not necessarily the man you're going to spend the rest of your life with." She let her eyes drift to the floor as she sadly added, "I should know. Jet was the first guy I ever liked, and look how well that turned out." Katara knew that she regretted ever liking Jet at the time of his betrayal, but just before he died she was able to find it in her heart to forgive him. But to forgive Dreo for what he did to Toph was out of the question. "Just try to get some sleep, OK? You'll feel better once you do." As Toph detached herself from Katara, a look of determination entered her once-sad eyes. Katara knew that this look meant Toph was going to pull through after all, and this thought caused her to smile at the blind Earthbender. She tucked Toph into the bed and kissed her on the head, saying "You still have people here who love you. You have me, Aang, Suki, and Sokka as well as Zuko, Iroh, Gregor, and Mai. We all love you, and we will never abandon you." Toph smiled happily up at Katara, who returned the happy look. "Sleep tight," whispered Katara as she kissed Toph's head again and the blind Earthbender closed her eyes. Toph fell asleep almost instantly, fatigued by her ordeal. Katara quietly got up from the bed and silently left the room.

As she softly closed the door behind her, she noticed Sokka leaning against the wall with his arms behind his head. Looking around the room, she noticed that she, Sokka, and Dreo were the only ones left. She turned to her older brother and asked, "Where did everyone go?"

"Hmm?" mumbled Sokka as he lazily glanced at his sister. "Oh yeah," he said, remembering. "Aang, Zuko, and Iroh went to go see the Earth King. Something about figuring out how to deal with the Dark Legion, how to keep the peace, and so on," he continued as he waved his hand nonchalantly in the air. "Oh, and Gregor stormed off because apparently Dreo here," he said as he motioned to the bruised Airbender, "went to a bar in the Lower Ring after he abandoned Toph on their date. Gregor said, and I quote, 'I'm going to go to every bar, pub, and tavern in the Lower Ring until I find the one you were at last night. Then we'll see if what you say is true.' After that he left, and Aang, Zuko, and Iroh left shortly afterwards."

After Sokka had finished telling his tale, Katara looked angrily upon Dreo. The Airbender didn't seem to take notice of her, making her anger rise within her. How could this young man be so insensitive to the plight of Toph? She wouldn't stand for it any longer. Noticing a plant vase on a table next to Dreo, she bent the water in the vase toward her. Creating a water whip, she lashed out at Dreo before he could react. There was a loud _SNAP!_ as the wet whip slapped Dreo across the face. The whip dissolved after hitting his face, for Katara didn't want to expend more energy than she had to. Sokka stared in disbelief at Katara, his mouth dropped open in astonishment.

Dreo recovered from the shock of the water and shouted, "What is with everyone today? First Toph beats the living daylights out of me, then Gregor back-hands me and nearly takes my eye out with a fire dagger, and now this? I've had enough!" He furiously stomped towards Katara, but Sokka quickly jumped in between them and drew his sword. Dreo halted his advance as he gazed upon the black sword that was now pointed at his chest, and as he eyes drew up to Sokka's face he saw a fierce look of protection in the Water Tribe Warrior's eyes.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," warned Sokka, whose eyes were locked on his potential opponent. It didn't matter to him that Dreo was a bender; if he wanted to hurt his little sister, he saw Dreo as a threat. He already disliked Dreo because of what he did to Toph, but this was different. No one, not even Aang (in the worst case scenario), would ever threaten to hurt Katara while he was around to protect her. He wouldn't hesitate to wound the Airbender if things should go badly, but he was hoping it wouldn't come to that.

"You really want to know why I hit you?" asked Katara with venom in her voice as she narrowed her eyes at the Airbender. She pointed at the door to Toph's room and said, "In that room is one of my oldest friends, one whom I've known for ten years. She had no man in her life for as long as I can remember. When you came along, she was so happy that you were in her life. She had feelings for you!" She shook her head as she dropped her outstretched arm to her side and said, "But what did you do in return? You tore her heart out, that's what you did!" With as much anger as she could muster, she said, "You may be an Air Nomad like Aang, but you are nothing like him. My husband is kind, gentle, and loving, but you…you are nothing but a hollow shell full of lies and deceptions." Her stinging words seemed to have no effect on Dreo, his face completely blank as he stared vacantly at her. "Well?" she asked angrily. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Sokka and Katara waited for an answer from Dreo, but after several minutes he was still standing silently. "That's what I thought," said Katara bitterly. She turned to Sokka and said, "I'm going back to check up on Toph. Keep an eye on Dreo, OK?"

"Sure thing, sis," replied Sokka. "I'll just stay out here and babysit the Airbender." Katara smiled at her older brother, glad she could always count on his help. Glancing back at Dreo, he leaned into Katara's ear and whispered, "Between you and me, I think something weird is going on here, but I don't know what it is. Dreo has never acted like this before, at least for how long I've known him. Do you have any idea as to what's going on with him?" He waited for a reply from Katara. He stole a quick glance back at Dreo, which as unnecessary because he was still standing the same way he was before. Sokka couldn't shake the feeling that there was something bigger going on then they realized, but there was nothing he could do about it right now. After all, he had been entrusted by Aang to guard Katara at all costs. He couldn't afford to go running around the city searching for answers like Gregor was doing, and considering his sister's pregnancy he didn't want to leave her side for even a second.

"I just don't know what could be wrong with Dreo," quietly replied Katara, "but I'm sure Aang will have some answers for us when he gets back." Glancing down at Sokka's drawn sword, she sighed impatiently and said, "You can put the sword away, Sokka." She chuckled and said, "You might poke someone's eye out with it." Sokka rolled his eyes unamusingly as he sheathed his sword. Walking towards Toph's door, she said, "I'll be back out in about an hour or so. Remember to keep an eye on Dreo." Sokka stood at attention and gave a mock salute, causing Katara to roll her eyes. "I swear I'll never understand him for as long as I live," she muttered under her breath as she went into Toph's room.

* * *

><p><em>I wonder what's going on back at the tea shop?<em> silently thought Aang to himself. He and the two Fire Nation Royals were still about ten minutes from the Earth King's Royal Palace, having walked for about twenty minutes already. The men hadn't talked much, and that left Aang's mind to wander aimlessly through his sea of thought. He was still worried about Katara, but he was glad that he had Sokka looking over her. He knew that the Water Tribe Warrior would do everything in his power to protect his little sister from harm. Aang smiled, remembering how overprotective Sokka could be of Katara sometimes. But deep down he knew that Sokka was that way because he loved Katara. Aang recalled when he and Katara first started their romantic relationship how Sokka seemed a bit uncomfortable with him kissing his sister, but Aang knew that Sokka was only looking out for Katara's wellbeing. He remembered the morning they all went their separate ways, and how Katara came by his room early that morning. Suddenly, he thought of something he had said to Katara about a certain Fire Lord. "Hey Zuko, can I ask you a question?" asked Aang.

Zuko looked over to his right where Aang was walking next to him. He smiled at the Avatar and said, "Of course, Aang. You can ask me anything. We've still got some time left before we reach the Palace." On his left, his Uncle was softly humming to himself a tune that sound very familiar to 'Leaves on the Vine', but in a slightly more upbeat tone. Zuko could always tell when Aang had something on his mind because the young Airbender's eyebrows would furrow and creases would appear on his forehead. Zuko knew from experience that most of the time this look was associated with Katara. He could remember from the time he first joined Team Avatar how clearly obvious it was that Aang had had feelings for Katara. Zuko said nothing to anyone about this, for he didn't want to betray Aang's trust. Needless to say, it wasn't surprising to him when Aang and Katara first began their romantic relationship.

Aang was a little nervous about asking Zuko such a sensitive question, but he had to know for sure. "Well," he began, "this may seem a bit out of the blue, but….did you at any point…ever have feelings for Katara?" Zuko's face practically fell off as an exasperated and confused look came over him, his jaw dropped open in astonishment. Iroh noticed his nephew's expression and began laughing jollily. Aang began blushing, realizing how ridiculous his question had sounded. Here was the Avatar, the most powerful being in the whole world, worrying about other men being interested in his Katara. "Sorry," he quickly said, "that was stupid of me to ask." He dropped his gaze to the ground, causing Iroh to laugh even harder. Aang desperately wished that at that moment he would bury himself deep underground to avoid this embarrassment.

Zuko recovered from his shock and said, "It's fine, Aang. You just caught me off guard, that's all." He thought carefully about his next words, realizing how delicate the situation at hand was. "Honestly, I never really saw Katara as more than just a friend." Aang's blush disappeared as Zuko said this, and he looked up at the Fire Lord. "When I was chasing you guys around the world, all I could think about was capturing you so I could regain my honor. I had no time to be worrying about girls or anything else a normal teenager from the Fire Nation would have to worry about." Iroh nodded in affirmation of what Zuko was saying, for he remembered what his nephew used to be like before he saw the light. "After I helped Azula in the catacombs, she set me up on a date with Mai. We were childhood friends, but we had had secret crushes on each other back then. That was first time I kissed Mai, and we began a romantic relationship that night." Zuko smiled fondly at his memory of that night, how everything had changed between him and the gloomy girl who was now his wife and mother of his son. "Even after I left Mai to help you learn Firebending, I still loved her. I knew that I had hurt her by leaving, but somehow I knew that we would be back together again someday. Plus, it was clearly obvious from the time I joined you guys that Katara didn't like me. It was only after I helped find her mother's killer did she forgive me and began to accept me as a friend, and we've been that way ever since." He looked back to Aang and asked, "Does that help to clear things up?"

Aang smiled and said, "Yeah, it does." He thought of another question, something he hadn't considered before. "I have another question," he said, and Zuko had to keep himself from groaning outwardly at Aang's persistent questions. "So even if you and Katara had feelings for each other and had started dating after The War, would there have been any possibility that you two could have gotten married?" It seemed like a legitimate question for Aang to ask, given the traditional ways of the Fire Nation.

Zuko shook his head and replied, "No. Even if Katara and I had loved each other more than anything in the world, we never could have been together forever. Our traditions strictly forbid the Fire Lord from marrying anyone from outside the Fire Nation, for the bloodline of Fire Lords has to be kept pure. My marriage to a Waterbender would have led to me being overthrown and being banished from the Fire Nation for the rest of my life." He raised an eyebrow at Aang and asked, "What's with all the questions? You have nothing to worry about from me."

"I know," Aang said, "but I was just curious, that's all." He grinned sheepishly at Zuko, who let his gaze linger on Aang before he shrugged his shoulders and returned his attention to walking. Aang quietly sighed to himself, content with Zuko's answers to his questions. He hadn't expected the reaction Zuko had after he asked his first question. Aang knew that Katara could seem scary to Zuko sometimes, but the Fire Lord had such a look of fear on his face that it was like he would have been afraid to even consider liking Katara as more than just a friend. Aang smiled to himself, glad to know that all was right with the world, for he had Katara while Zuko had Mai. He suddenly remembered his Sifu Toph, and his heart sank as he recalled how broken she had become because of Dreo. Before he could think anymore of his Sifu's plight, the trio finally arrived at the Earth King's Royal Palace. They were escorted inside by the Royal Earthbender Guard, who stopped before the doors to the Throne Room and opened them for the three men. Aang, Zuko, and Iroh stepped through the open doorway and walked up to the threshold of the throne.

King Kuei stood up from his throne and held his arms out in greeting to his guests, a bright smile on his face. "Welcome, my friends. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit from the Avatar, the Fire Lord, and the Dragon of the West?" Bosco, who was sitting next on the left side of the throne, let out a friendly growl. King Kuei looked down at the bear with a smile and petted the gentle best on the head. "Even Bosco knows that this is not a visit of pleasure," he continued as he returned his attention to his esteemed guests. Aang, Zuko, and Iroh weren't surprised that the King had picked up on their tension at the news they had for him. "What has been happening in the world that has not yet reached my ears? Share everything you know with me, and leave nothing out." The Earth King then sat down in his throne after he finished speaking.

The trio of heroes complied with the King's request, and for the next two or three hours they recounted their tale from the finding of Princess Ursa and the discovery of the Air Nomads in Wu Long Forest to the revelation of the Dark Legion and the capture and near-murder of Katara, Suki, Mai, and Sun Tzu at their evil hands. As their story-telling progressed, the Earth King's disposition became darker and darker with each passing moment. His eyebrows became furrowed with worry, and he began to hunch over in his chair, as if a great weight was bearing down on his shoulders. Once Aang had finished telling the last part of their tale, they waited for the Earth King's response. King Kuei's hands were folded in front of his face, his eyes as dark as the night sky during a new moon. Aang knew that Kuei had changed in his manner as Earth King ever since he returned to Ba Sing Se shortly after the end of The War, but only know did he realize how much the monarch had changed over the last ten years. He had become more regal and serious in his political affairs, much like Zuko, and he also seemed to have matured from the young man that he was only a short time ago. A decade of rebuilding his country had aged King Kuei in more ways than way, and he was now a fully-realized Earth King.

After a long and uncomfortable silence, King Kuei finally looked up and said, "Another foe rises out of the shadows and ashes of a century-long war to threaten the world once more. Will we ever truly know peace, or are we doomed to find ourselves trapped by enemies at every turn?" He sighed heavily and said, "Your news is most disturbing indeed, and I am horrified at the atrocious act this Dark Legion has committed against you personally, Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko." He directed his attention towards Zuko and said, "I hope Fire Lady Mai and Fire Prince Sun Tzu were left unscathed by this ordeal they were put through." Zuko nodded appreciatively at the Earth King, who then directed his attention towards Aang. "Your wife, Katara, also has my condolences, Avatar Aang. To think that this Dark Legion would not hesitate to cut her unborn child from the womb….it is most inhumane. It is my dearest hope that your child will be born safe and healthy in the love that you and your wife will no doubt shower upon him or her." Aang smiled at Kuei and nodded his thanks as well, but his heart and mind were still with Katara. Kuei's mood seemed to lighten as he smiled and said, "But it brings great joy to my weary heart that the Air Nomads are alive even after the whole world thought the race of Airbenders was extinct, with the exception of you Aang." The Avatar smiled once more, for he knew that the art of Airbending would not be lost to the world and to his future lives as he had once feared in the past. The light from the rock crystals in the room glinted off the King's glasses, giving his eyes a sense of new life that was brought forth by the news of the return of the Air Nomads. "I'll dispatch messengers all over the Earth Kingdom at once with this wonderful news." He motioned to a servant, who wrote down the order and ran off down a hallway. Turning back to his guests, Kuei said, "However, there is still the matter of the Dark Legion to consider. What do you suggest we do about them?"

Iroh stepped forward and said, "If you will allow me, Your Majesty, I would like to present you with something before we begin." Aang and Zuko both knew what he was talking about, but they knew better than to speak out so they remained silent. King Kuei raised an eyebrow in interest, wondering what Iroh could possibly have to show him. Iroh pulled the dark knife out of his robes, the same place it had been before when Aang had given to him shortly after their arrival in Ba Sing Se, and held it out in front of him with two hands. The atmosphere in the room seemed to darken, as if the knife itself was an evil demon come to haunt and torture them. Even Bosco seemed afraid of the knife, for the mighty bear hid his face beneath his massive paws and began to whine. Kuei seemed to be taken aback by the presence of the knife, but he refused to show any sort of fear or weakness on his face as he eyed the deadly tool. Aang's heart froze at the sight of the knife, for this was the very weapon that had almost claimed the life of Katara and his unborn child.

"This," Iroh said, "is the very knife that Azula wielded just before she almost killed Katara at the Dark Legion fortress. As you can see, it is a ceremonial knife. But I assure you that this is no ordinary knife." He pointed to the ruby at the end of the handle and said, "This is a rare jewel, only found in one place in the entire world. Deep underneath this very city, even below the catacombs and old Ba Sing Se, there is a cavern hidden away in the darkest part of this subterranean labyrinth. In this cavern, this type of jewel can be found all along the walls. Legend has it that in the days before the Avatar, those who rejected by the surface world practiced a deadly and forbidden form of bending by consuming one of these rare jewels. Depending on the type of bender, it can change the very element that they control. In Airbenders, the winds they conjure are more violent than a dozen hurricanes. In Waterbenders, it turns their water black and covers the water with razor-sharp ice shards. In Earthbenders, it causes the earth they bend to become three times as hard as the toughest diamond and rocks that contain metal shards that shoot out in all directions when the rock explodes. But in Firebenders, it causes their flames to burn black with a purple center. This jewel also causes a physical reaction within the person who consumes the jewel. Their hair becomes as black as death and their eye color changes to purple, but something else changes within the person. Even if the most pious and righteous in the whole world consumed one of these rubies, their souls would become evil and corrupted by its dark powers. Legend also says that if this jewel is attached to the pommel of a knife with an obsidian blade, it will drain the life energy and bending powers of the person the blade stabs. It is said that whoever consumes a ruby that contains this energy will enhance their own bending powers." Aang's eyes widened as Iroh said this, for he had no idea that this seemingly insignificant knife was deadlier than he could have possibly imagined. Not only would this thing have killed Katara, it would have taken her life energy and bending powers for the Emperor to use for himself.

King Kuei's eyes also widened, as if he realized something. "I know this cavern of which you speak," he said. "It is called 'The Chasm of Forbidden Darkness', but it was sealed off by Avatar Kyoshi almost 300 years ago. These jewels were causing mass chaos all across the Earth Kingdom, but Avatar Kyoshi was able to find their source and seal off the entrance to the Chasm. She then tracked down the remaining jewels and destroyed them. These jewels are called Death Rubies, and anyone looking to buy one would pay a hefty price just to have one. There were stories from back during those times of men selling everything they had and even killing their families because of their mad obsession for these jewels." He fell silent as he let this fact sink into the minds of the three guests assembled before him. These were indeed dark tidings through which nothing good would come out of. The monarch decided to speak up once more and said, "I have listened to your story, and I can see that you will desperately need aid in order to defeat this new foe of ours." He stood up and said authoritatively, "Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko, you have the full support of me and my generals, as well as the rest of the Earth Kingdom Army. Our resources at your disposal, most honorable heroes." He bowed in respect to the three men, who bowed in return.

Coming out of his bow, Aang was the first to speak. "Thank you, King Kuei. We will need all the support we can get in order to stop the Dark Legion. But we'll need more than the Earth Kingdom's support in this endeavor. I believe we should discuss a possible alliance between the Four Nations in order to stop the Emperor and the Dark Legion." The three other men all nodded their heads in agreement, and they began to debate on how to bring the Four Nations together as one against the oncoming darkness.

* * *

><p>After a few hours of walking around the Lower Ring, Gregor was sorely tempted to accept his brother's story and head back to the tea shop. But he remembered how badly his younger brother had hurt Toph, and he resumed his search for the bar with renewed vigor. He had spoken to what seemed like everyone in Ba Sing Se about the location of each bar, pub, and tavern. He even got himself a map and marked off each as he visited them so he could keep track. Now he had come to the last bar, which was aptly named The Drunken Clam-Shark. Gregor shook his head in disbelief at how unimaginative the people were in the Earth Kingdom when it came to naming bars and taverns. It was if they were drunk at the time of the naming of the building. Shaking this thought from his head, he pushed his way through the swinging doors. He wasn't surprised at the sight he came upon inside, which consisted of sad, drunken men either sulking about in their misery or passed-out from their drunken stupors. He noticed the bartender, who was a middle-aged man (about in his mid 40's) with an eye patch over his right eye and a thick mustache draped over his lips. Gregor decided that this was the most decent looking man he had seen so far in the Lower Ring. "Excuse me, my good man," he said, and the bartender noticed the Firebender as he walked towards the counter. "I've been walking all around the Lower Ring and been to every bar, pub, and tavern-"<p>

"What do ya want from me, a medal?" asked the bartender impatiently as he interrupted Gregor. The Fire Nation General almost lashed out at the rude bartender for cutting him off mid-sentence, but he needed information. He would just have to swallow his pride for the time being, at least for Toph's sake. "Trust me, sonny, I fought in The War. I seen things ain't no one seen in their whole lives, 'cept probably those who fought in The War. Got me eye cut out by a Fire Nation soldier durin' the Six Hundred Day Siege of Ba Sing Se." He pulled his eye patch up to show the empty socket where the eye had once been, and Gregor had to suppress his urge to cringe at the sight. The bartender pulled his eye patch back down and shook his head sadly and let his gaze drop to a mug he was holding in his hands, obviously remembering that long siege of a not-soon forgotten age. "Big mess, that battle. Bein' on the frontline was the worst of it. Fire everywhere ya look, and all your buddies fallin' around ya left and right as they get hacked up and burnt to a crisp before ya very eyes…or in me case, EYE." Looking back up at Gregor, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Ack...ain't nothin' I can do 'bout it now. I'm still here, and the dead ain't. So…since it's obvious you ain't here for a drink, you must be needin' some information?"

Gregor sighed and replied, "Yes, that's exactly what I need. Listen, my younger brother was on a date last night with a young lady. I won't say who this young lady was, but all I will say is that she had fallen for my brother pretty hard." The bartender nodded in understanding, as if this was a common occurrence. "During one point towards the end of their date, my brother abandoned her and left her standing on a bridge all alone. Needless to say, he pretty much broke her heart and she came running back to the Jasmine Dragon, the tea shop in the Upper Ring owned by Iroh that my friends and I are staying at, crying her heart out. This morning, my brother returned and told us that after he had abandoned his date he went to a bar here in the Lower Ring for a drink. Now I've been around every bar, pub, and tavern in the Lower Ring except for this one. My brother's name is Dreo, and he's about six years younger than I am. He was wearing a headband, and his hair was in a style similar to my own. He was also wearing gloves and had gray eyes, if that helps to clear things up. Did he come to your bar last night?" He waited for a while as the bartender scoured his memories for any trace of Dreo.

The bartender shook his head again and said, "It's a shame that such a fine young lady be hurtin' 'cause of your brother. What this world be comin' to, when men can go toyin' 'round with a woman's emotions like that and no one punish 'em for it." As much as Gregor agreed with the bartender, he desperately needed him to focus on the task at hand. The sooner he got the information, the sooner things could be cleared up. He began cleaning a mug with a rag and said, "But I can't say I seen anyone last night who looked like him. I get the feelin' that either someone be lyin' to ya, or somethin' else is goin' on with your Dreo." He resumed wiping off his mug as he left Gregor to his thoughts.

Gregor looked down at the floor as he tried to fit the pieces together. If Dreo hadn't gone to any of the bars down in the Lower Ring last night, what other possible explanation could there have been for his disappearance. He remembered how Dreo had sauntered into the tea shop just hours before, like he really didn't care about anything or anyone. He recalled the blank and vacant look in his gray eyes, as if Dreo wasn't really there at the time. Gregor tried to think about anyone that had looked like that before, and he suddenly recalled something Aang had told him from his own adventure in Ba Sing Se ten years ago. Gregor's eyes widened with horror as he realized what was wrong with Dreo. "Oh no," he whispered to himself, and he tore himself away from the counter.

"Be sure to give 'em a sound beatin' for me!" the bartender called after him as Gregor ran out of the bar, but the Firebender paid no attention to him. He had to get back to the tea shop as quickly as he could to warn the others before it was too late. As he rounded the corner, he ran headlong into a red-haired woman and both fell to the ground. Despite the woman's protests, Gregor got right back up and ran off without apologizing. His mind was dead-set on keeping the others safe from harm, and the buildings on either side of him became a blur as he picked up speed in his mad dash.

* * *

><p>Back at the Jasmine Dragon, the sun had just passed its midday zenith and was slowly descending from the heavens. In the main room of the tea shop, Dreo was sitting off by himself in a corner while Sokka and Katara sat on the opposite of room at a table with Toph. The two Southern Water Tribe adults flanked the blind Earthbender as they continued to comfort her. Dreo had not spoken a word since his explosion after Katara's water whip strike. His seemingly distant behavior was putting both Sokka and Katara at an uneasiness that they couldn't seem to shake off. He had such a vacant look in his gray eyes that it seemed his very soul had departed his body and left an empty shell behind.<p>

Katara couldn't help but feel guilty about his current state, as if she was the one who had caused him to become like this because of her water whip attack. She hadn't been thinking clearly at the time of the assault, her emotions had been roiled up because of Toph's broken state and Dreo's uncaring for anything. But now she could see clearly, and she knew she had to make it up somehow despite how much she was against Dreo for what he did to Toph. She sighed, thinking that Dreo was just as much a part of their family as she was. Families always tried to work out their problems no matter how bad they were, and Katara remembered how many scuffles between her and Sokka her mother had broken up when they were still young children. She smiled fondly, for she remembered that all of these scuffles were always ended peacefully and resulted in getting hugs and kisses from their mother. She touched the blue stone of her necklace and closed her eyes, allowing herself to reconnect once more with her deceased mother. _Please, Mom,_ she prayed_, give me the strength to do what's right. You never gave up on your family, and neither will I._ Opening her eyes, she felt a new-found determination emanating from within her.

Looking at Sokka, their eyes met and Katara motioned to Dreo using her eyes before returning them to rest upon her brother. Sokka slightly turned his head to look behind him at the Airbender and, understanding her sister's intention, turned his head back to Katara and nodded. Katara smiled, glad that she and her brother could communicate without having to use words. Using the same eye motion once more, this time she motioned at Toph, and Sokka gave the same understanding nod. Katara smiled once again, and this time Sokka smiled back. Despite how much she and her brother could bicker and argue with one another at times, they still loved and supported each other. Katara felt a sudden sense of pride as she stood up, and she realized that she was the luckiest woman in the world to have a brother like Sokka.

She slowly made her way over to Dreo so that she had plenty of time to think of what to say to him. The Airbender was in no rush to go anywhere, nor had he been for the last few hours. There was something about his eyes that threw Katara off balance, as if she had seen that blank look before. It unsettled her that she couldn't place where she had seen the look before, but she decided that she would worry about that later. There were other matters to worry about at the present moment. As she neared the Airbender, she softly called out, "Dreo?" He didn't respond to his name being called, and Katara sighed. She stood just a few feet from where he was sitting, wary that he might lash out at her suddenly. "It's me…Katara," she tried again, but still no response from Dreo. "I don't know if you're listening," she continued, "but I'm going to go through with this anyway. I want to apologize for my actions earlier. I was just…angry at you for what you did to Toph last night. You have to understand that she's like a sister to me and that I love her very much, and seeing her in this much pain because of you just sent me over the edge. However, right now it's in everyone's best interest if you just stay away from Toph. She needs time to recover, and she'll heal a lot faster if you just aren't around her to remind her of that pain." She put a slight smile on her face and said, "You're a part of our family now, and that's how we work. We look out for one another, like Gregor is looking out for you right now even though it may seem like he hates your guts. But I know deep down that he still loves you."

Dreo looked up at her, the most movement he had done in the past few hours. Katara was surprised to see life back in his gray eyes, as if she had gotten through to him somehow. The spell that seemed to have taken control of Dreo was losing its grip on him. "Family...," he muttered, as if it were something he had long forgotten. "Gregor…" he continued muttering, as if he was trying to get a sense of familiarity with the name of his brother. He scrunched his eyes shut and gripped his forehead as he began groaning in pain. Katara instantly became concerned, but she didn't know what was wrong with him. Before she could say anything, Dreo muttered, "Darkness…jewels everywhere! Gah!" He gasped as he quickly opened his eyes at Katara, causing her to jump in slight fright. "Horrible…horrible green eyes!" he whispered loudly, and Katara began to back away from Dreo. Sokka heard Dreo's commotion and shot a look towards the Airbender, while Toph just drowned it all out. Dreo groaned even louder and his eyes closed shut again, and Katara began to feel fear take hold of her. "Serve the darkness…serve the darkness…" he repeated again and again, as if he were forced to say it by some unseen power. "That's what the horrible green eyes said…serve the darkness." The vacant look returned to Dreo's face, and his pupils widened until his gray irises were replaced by a black hole. "I must serve the darkness," he said mindlessly, and he slowly stood up from his chair. Completely scared now, Katara continued backing up from Dreo while Sokka reached for his sword.

There was a small explosion somewhere off to Katara's left, and she looked to see a fireball racing towards Dreo. The Airbender's head snapped to his right as he heard the fireball coming and quickly jumped backwards to avoid it, the small gust of air he used to push himself back snuffing out the flames. Everyone looked (except for Toph) at the entrance of tea shop to Gregor standing there in a fighting stance and his right fist extended, smoke rising off his skin. "Get away from him!" Gregor barked at Katara, who obeyed immediately and quickly made her way back to Sokka. Gregor rushed into the tea shop and cornered Dreo, taking up his fighting stance once again to keep his brother at bay. Both Katara and Sokka were confused as to what was happening, and Toph was still lost in her own little world.

"What's going on, Gregor?" asked Katara fearfully. Something was immensely wrong with Dreo, and she had feeling she knew what it was. Sokka stood protectively in front of his sister, gripping his sword's handle in preparation for a fight. A scowl had appeared on Dreo's face, as if Gregor had prevented him from accomplishing his task. There was an evil look in Dreo's dark eyes, the unseen power now enforcing its will upon the Airbender.

"I went to every bar, pub, and tavern in the Lower Ring," explained Gregor without taking his eyes off his brother. "He wasn't at any of them last night, and I know why. He didn't abandon Toph…he was captured by the Dai Li and brainwashed! They've sent him to assassinate us!" Sokka and Katara gasped, neither of them expecting this turn of events. Even Toph seemed to perk up as Gregor said that Dreo hadn't abandoned her, but rather he had been captured by an old enemy. Tears began to appear in her eyes as she realized that Dreo would have come back just like he said he would last night.

"I thought the Dai Li had disbanded long ago," said Katara with disbelief in her voice. "Do you think they're in league with the Dark Legion?" Suddenly, Dreo began growling in the back of his throat. Sokka widened his protective stance in front of Katara, who was glad to be behind him at the moment. Gregor took a threatening step towards Dreo, and the Airbender's growl died away as his darkened eyes looked angrily upon his Firebending sibling. "Dreo was saying that a person with horrible green eyes told him that he had to serve the darkness," said Katara. "Does that mean Long Feng is back as well?"

"I know not whether the Dai Li is an ally of the Dark Legion or if their old leader has returned," replied Gregor. "But what I do know is that I have to deal with Dreo. We'll concern ourselves on how to deal with the Dai Li later once the others get back." He lit his hands on fire as to deter Dreo from making any sudden moves, and the Airbender hissed at the sight of the flames.

"I have to get you out of here, Katara," said Sokka imperatively. "I promised Aang that I would keep you safe." He turned and took hold of Katara's arm, but she shook him off. Sokka shot an irritated look at his sister, who had a defiant look on her face. "It's too dangerous here! Think about the baby!" Sokka yelled frantically.

"I'm not leaving!" Katara shouted back. "I know Aang's concerned about me and the baby, but I can still take care of myself! I'm not as helpless as you think I am! For the past eight months, I've had everyone looking over me as if I'd suddenly keel over! Well, let me tell you something, Mister Hotshot Warrior…I'VE HAD IT!" She threw her arms up over her head in frustration. "The only reason why I'm getting any sort of 'special treatment' is the fact that I'm pregnant with Aang's child. So what about Toph then?" She gestured toward the blind Earthbender, who was still sitting in her chair. "She gets her heart broken after HE," this time gesturing towards Dreo, "seemingly abandoned her on their date, but no one seems to helping her except for me! Would you rather that Dreo had-"

Katara was suddenly silenced as Toph clamped a hand over her run-away mouth. Both she and Sokka were surprised at the blind Earthbender's sudden appearance, for she had been sitting quietly just moments before and thus hadn't seen her stand up during Katara's rant. "You talk too much, Sugar Queen," she said bluntly. "Keep whining and I might just have to resort to calling you Madame Fussy Britches." Katara tried to voice her protest to Toph's threat, but she was muffled by the hand that now covered her mouth. She gave up shortly afterward and furrowed her eyebrows in frustration. Toph took her hand off of Katara's mouth and made her way over towards Gregor, which caused her to receive concerned looks from Sokka and Katara. "Stand aside, Captain Hothead," Toph said as she pushed by Gregor, who extinguished his burning hands. As she got closer to Dreo, he growled at her and took a step towards her. Katara tried to intervene, but as she got closer Gregor blocked her path with an outstretched arm. Katara shot a look of protest at Gregor, but he shook his head. This was Toph's chance to make things right and possibly bring Dreo back to them from the darkness that now clouded his mind. Katara returned her gaze to Toph and Dreo, and she clasped her hands in front of chest in worry for her friend.

"Get away from me, you blind rat!" shouted Dreo as Toph came closer. He blew a strong gust from his mouth at her in an attempt to knock her over, but she stood her ground against the wind. She knew that behind that mask of darkness, her Dreo was still in there waiting for her to set him free. The wind subsided as Dreo stopped blowing air from his mouth. "I must serve the darkness! The Black Flame commands me to kill all of you!" he shouted, completely lost to the effects of his brainwashing at the hands of the Dai Li. Everyone present discerned that the name 'Black Flame' must be one of the many titles given to the Emperor of the Dark Legion, thus confirming their suspicion that the Dai Li and the Dark Legion had joined forces against Team Avatar and the rest of the free world. "The Avatar is a menace who robbed the Fire Nation of their rightful place as rulers of the world! We will rid the world of all weakness!" Turning his attention back to Toph, he growled, "Even you will fall at the hands of death and shadow. You are a blight upon this world, an infestation that must be crushed without mercy!"

Toph ignored Dreo's tirade as she tried to formulate an idea of how to break his brainwashing. She suddenly thought of something which caused her demeanor to change. Being sarcastic and hard-headed wasn't going to bring Dreo back, but tenderness and love would. Even after she had thought Dreo had broken her heart, she still cared for him because of the fact she and Dreo worked so well together even before their date. She couldn't lose Dreo, not to the Dai Li nor the Dark Legion. "Dreo," she said tenderly, "you know who I am. Look into my eyes, and tell me who I am." Dreo's scowl dropped off of his face, his dark eyes searching Toph's face for details. Her pale skin, her pale green eyes, her raven hair bundled up on her head…all of these things seemed to strike a chord in Dreo's mind, but it wasn't enough. The Airbender shook his head as he tried to remember, but the brainwashing was too strong. "Maybe this will help you remember," proposed Toph mysteriously, and she walked up to Dreo.

Both Katara and Dreo tensed up, expecting something to go wrong. But instead of knocking Dreo off his feet, she did something unexpected: she drew up close to Dreo, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him full on the lips. Dreo's eyes shot wide open, while Toph's were closed. Memories began rushing through Dreo's mind: his first meeting with Toph, her hugging him for comfort after their friends had been captured by the Dark Legion, him fighting alongside Toph at the Dark Legion fortress, her punching him in the chin when they first arrived in the city for having his arm around her waist, him asking Toph out on their date, seeing Toph in her beautiful outfit, their date, escaping from the muggers and the Cabbage Merchant, and their first kiss on that moonlit bridge. All these memories replayed themselves continuously in Dreo's mind, unable to think of anything else. Something changed within Dreo at the moment, and he could feel the power of the brainwashing break away. As Toph parted herself from the kiss, Dreo's pupils shrank back to their normal size. He blinked several times, as if he didn't feel right in his surroundings. He eyes came to rest on Toph, and his eyes narrowed as he tried to recognize her.

"Toph?" he muttered, and suddenly his eyes shot wide open. "Oh spirits, I'm so sorry Toph!" he quickly said. "I didn't mean to leave you standing there all alone on that bridge! I-I was about to come back just as I promised a-a-and before I knew it something grabbed me from behind and-" He was cut short as Toph kissed him again. He could feel her shaking against him, as if a huge weight had been lifted off her heart. Her heart was beating fast and hard against his chest, almost threatening to give out at any moment. As they separated from the kiss, a confused look came across his face. "H-how could you forgive me so easily? I thought you hated me? You gave me this, remember?" He pointed to his black eye, a souvenir from their scuffle that morning.

Toph chuckled and said, "Are you really that clueless, Air Head? I never hated you…I was just upset because I thought you didn't care about me." Tears began to form in her eyes as she said, "I never stopped caring about you. You are the most incredible guy I have ever met, and…I guess I need you in my life."

Dreo scoffed and muttered, "Could've fooled me with the way you were acting this morning." After seeing Toph scowl at him, he chuckled and said, "Just kidding, Blind Bandit. I feel the same way about you." The scowl dropped off the blind Earthbender's face as she smiled and blushed, while Dreo put his arms around her waist while her arms went around his shoulders. "I guess I ought to make up to you with this," he said, and the two of them kissed once more. Tears came to Katara's eyes as she smiled at the sight, and Gregor had to fight to keep his own tears back as he matched Katara's smile. Sokka crossed his arms and smiled smugly, glad to know that this situation had resolved itself rather nicely. But Dreo and Toph paid no attention to any of them. They were trapped in each other's embrace, lost in their sea of happiness and love. Two hearts were mended in those tender moments, all the hurt and loss forgotten as these two hearts became one.

Later that night when Aang, Zuko, and Iroh had returned from their meeting with the Earth King, Katara, Sokka, and Gregor told them what had happened since they left that morning. Initially Aang, Zuko, and Iroh were alarmed at the detail of Dreo's brainwashing, but they were relieved to hear that Toph was able to break through to Dreo. Gregor slept alone in his room that night, for Dreo was spending the night in Toph's room. Toph and Dreo had spent most of the evening talking alone in their room, and soon they fell asleep in each other's arms. Katara showed Aang the two as they slept, and a big smile came across his face at the sight before him. He was glad to see the two of them back to the way they were, if not even stronger in their bond than before.

* * *

><p>"Long Feng," said a Dai Li agent as he kneeled before his leader, "it's been confirmed by our spies that the Airbender's brainwashing has been broken by the blind Earthbender. The high-General of the Fire Nation was able to discover what had been done to his brother before the Airbender could accomplish his mission. It is also possible that the Avatar and his friends now know that we are allied with the Dark Legion." He waited for his leader's reaction to this news.<p>

"It is of no consequence," said Long Feng calmly. "This is only a slight setback in our Emperor's master plan. Rest assured, Ba Sing Se will fall." He smiled evilly and said coldly, "So will the Avatar at the hands of our Master." He looked back at the agent and said, "Prepare for the extraction of the Death Rubies. We must harvest as many as we can before we're discovered." The Dai Li agent bowed and went off to pass along the order to the other agents.


	10. Chapter Nine: The Dark Avatar State

Hello once again, my loyal fans. :) Sorry it took me nearly a week to write up this chapter and to upload it. But I do hope you enjoy this next thrilling installment in my epic story. I've got a great character making an appearance in this chapter, but I'll leave you to find out who it is. ;) I did really well in the beginning and towards the middle, but I felt that I rushed a bit at the end. Let me know what you think. Enjoy reading and please review!

Note: It might be another week or so until Chapter Ten is up so please bear with me. But you're always free to look back through my work and leave reviews wherever you see fit. Thanks to all those who support me! They make me feel appreciated because of my work. :')

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Nine: The Dark Avatar State**

"Are you sure you want to do this, Aang?" asked Katara as her husband made preparations for his mediation. She knew that he needed answers about what had happened to him at the Dark Legion fortress with the black glow that had occurred during his Avatar State. But she was also afraid for him because of what he might find out. She knew of the raw power and anger that resulted from that black glow, and she also knew that it truly did scare Aang. Her husband was a peaceful man, restoring to violence in only his most extreme times of need.

"I have to do this, Katara," he replied as he laid out his meditation mat at the foot of their bed. As he stood up, he turned to Katara and said, "I need to know what the black glow was, so that's why I'm consulting with Avatar Roku. He's been my Avatar guide ever since you freed me from the iceberg. I need to be prepared in case this happens again when we find the Dai Li or face the Dark Legion in battle…" he faltered as he walked up to Katara and took her hands in his. A look of sadness came into his eyes as he said, "I don't want to risk the possibility of you getting hurt or…or killed by my hands when I'm in such turmoil and rage."

"Aang…" whispered Katara as she drew him close in a hug. "I know you could never bring yourself to hurt me, even when you're in that state. You didn't hurt me in the slightest when Azula was wielding that knife, for your attacks only hit her." They detached from their hug, but she kept him at arm's length with her hands on his shoulders. "I know you were slightly upset when I told you that I didn't go with Sokka when things got dangerous here, but you need to know something." She smiled kindly at him and said, "I feel like I'm beating this phrase to death, but I can still take care of myself. We're both concerned about the baby and we really won't be at ease until it's born. But you don't need to be so overprotective of me all the time. You're like how Sokka was when we first got together, only about three times worse." Aang rolled his eyes at that thought, but he smiled as his gaze returned to Katara's face. "You don't need to overreact every time I trip slightly or have to catch my breath," continued Katara. She smiled mischievously as she said, "I'm still the same Waterbending Master you've known all these years. You don't think I can look after myself?"

Aang laughed slightly and replied, "Oh, I have no doubt that you can handle yourself. It's one of things that attracted me to you." He put on a big, toothy grin and winked at his wife, who smiled and blushed at him. "It's just that I worry about you sometimes." He put on a mischievous grin and said mysteriously, "After all, you're walking around the city with Gregor today." Katara blush reddened as embarrassment washed over her face. Aang began laughing at the look on her face, which caused Katara's face to become scrunched with annoyance. She eyed a water jug on a table next to the bed. Making sure her husband didn't see, she discretely bent the water in the jug up and out. She slowly twirled her free hand until the water was hanging in a ball over her laughing husband. Aang peeked out of one of his eyes during his laughing fit and saw the mischievous gleam in Katara's eyes. He abruptly stopped laughing and slowly rolled his eyes up just in time for the water to splash on his head and freeze solid, encasing his cranium in a ball of ice. He looked down, with difficulty, at Katara and tried to scrunch his eyebrows at her but couldn't. Gathering what breath he still had left in him, he exhaled steam through his nose and melted the ice. As the water melted off of his head, Katara used her hand to send the water back into the jug. Aang shook the remaining water droplets off his bald head and shot an accusing look at his wife, who put an innocent smile on her face. "Why did you do that?" he asked grumpily.

Katara chuckled at Aang's pouting face and replied, "First off, never tease me about spending time with my other male friends. You're the only man I need in my life, for my heart belongs to you alone." At this she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, and Aang's pout melted into a smile and a blush. After the kiss, she leaned back and said, "Secondly, this is Gregor we're talking about. His sense of honor and respect towards women would keep him from even considering trying anything with me, since after all I'm married and expecting my first child." She held her head up high and said in an overly formal tone, "He's a gentleman of the Fire Nation and would never force me to do anything to compromise my honor or dignity." She chuckled as if to show how ridiculous Gregor could be sometimes with his notions of honor and pride, but she was glad to have such a noble man for a friend. "Besides," she said in her normal voice, "I'm helping him to find a woman within the city. Think of me as a matchmaker of sorts." She winked at Aang, showing him that he wasn't the only romantic one. She gave him one last hug and kiss, saying "I'll see you later. Good luck with Roku." Both of them smiled, and Aang watched as she walked out of the room. Before she closed the door, she peeked her head back in and said, "Oh, and tell him I said 'Hi'." Aang smiled and nodded, and Katara left again.

Aang looked back at his meditation mat and took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing,_ he thought. He sat down on the mat and assumed the Lotus position for meditation, his hands clenched in fists and put together so that the arrows on his hands faced each other. His legs crossed over each other, the soles of his feet pointing to the ceiling. Aang closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, implementing the training he had received from the monks of so long ago. He had to concentrate on his connection with the Spirit World and the Avatar Spirit. Soon his body had fallen into the regular rhythm of his calm breathing. Aang felt a familiar feeling awaken inside of him, and his tattoos began to glow white as he achieved his connection to the Spirit World. Aang could feel himself being pulled away from his body, and he opened his eyes to see what was happening. His spirit form shot up rapidly out of the room and, as he flew high above the city, the Earth Kingdom shrank in size until it was nothing but a speck from his view high in the clouds. He could feel the universe flowing around him, and the view of the Earth Kingdom began to change. The land melted away until he saw nothing but stars as they raced by him in a blur as he traveled beyond the borders of the mortal world.

Aang closed his eyes once more as a light enveloped him, and when he opened them he knew that his journey was successful. Looking around him, he could see that he was in a peaceful meadow. He was still in his sitting position, and he slowly got up so he could view his surroundings. As far as he could see, there was nothing but a sea of grass that stretched up and over scattered hills throughout the landscape. Flowers grew in bunches and pockets in the grass, splotching the green canvas with hues of red, blue, yellow, purple, and orange. A soft breeze drifted through the meadow, giving the verdant land the appearance of waves of swells in the ocean. Aang felt the warm heat of the sun, and he breathed in deeply and exhaled the sweet air. This place was so full of life and peace, he was almost tempted to stay and gaze at its beauty. But he knew he was there for a reason, and it wasn't sightseeing. He drew in a huge gulp of air and shouted, "Avatar Roku! Are you here?" His voice echoed across the field, but there was no response to his call.

Aang prepared to draw in another breath to try again when suddenly a massive blaze appeared five feet in front of him. He jumped back and automatically tried to counter with his Firebending, but he remembered that he couldn't bend in the Spirit World. He hoped that this conflagration was a friendly spirit, but as he gazed at the fireball in front of him he noticed something strange. The fire was blazing, but instead of being overwhelmingly hot and consuming the plants around it, it was warm and did not burn up the plants. The flame was about six feet high and three feet wide, about the size of a normal person. The flames suddenly died out, leaving a lone figure behind. The male figure was dressed in the clothes of Fire Nation Royalty, which was a deep shade of red. His long hair and beard were as white as the snow that falls on the North and South Poles, and his face was weathered and ancient. His arms were folded inside of his robes, giving him the look of a wise master. Atop his head sat a crown in the shape of a flame, the symbol of the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Aang instantly knew who the man was, and he smiled.

"Hello, Aang," said Avatar Roku in his signature gravelly voice. "It's good to see you again, my old friend," he continued, and the two Avatars bowed respectfully to one another. As always whenever he was in the presence of one of his past lives, Aang was in awe of Roku. Even after his own journey and experiences throughout his life, it still set a sense of wonder in him that his story was only one of thousands. He knew that each and every Avatar before him had experienced many of the same things he had in his life: growing up in their home nations, learning their birth element, discovering their identity as the Avatar, traveling around the world learning the other elements as well as the Avatar State, dealing with their own personal struggles as well as the conflicts of the world, even falling in love, getting married, and starting and raising a family.

As they came out of their bow, Aang smiled and said, "It's good to see you again too, Roku." Suddenly remembering something his wife told him, he added, "Oh, and Katara says 'Hi'." He sheepishly grinned at the mention of his wife, and Avatar Roku began chuckling. Aang's predecessor knew all about Katara, ever since the day Aang had first contacted Roku during the Winter Solstice ten years ago.

"Ah, yes," mused Roku, "I remember your Waterbender friend well." He smiled and asked, "Am I right to assume that she is your wife now?" He chuckled at Aang's surprised expression. Aang had never told Roku about his marriage, so he had no idea how the Fire Nation Avatar could have known. Roku hummed softly and said, "If I'm not mistaken, she is also expecting your first child…soon I might add." Roku chuckled again as Aang's jaw dropped in complete astonishment.

"How…how could you possibly have known that?" asked Aang through his confused stupor. "The last time I contacted you was almost six months before I proposed to Katara, around the time I was helping Zuko fight a group of rebels somewhere in the Earth Kingdom." As he said this, he thought he saw a gleam of recognition flash briefly in Roku's amber eyes. Aang didn't pay much attention to this, however. "Wait," he said, "is it because you're one of my past lives as the Avatar that you know this? I mean, all the Avatars share some of the same experiences but still-" Roku held up his hand to politely indicate Aang to be silent, which the Air Nomad did.

"The reason I know this," said Roku, "not only has to do with me being your past life, but also due to the fact that I can read the worry you carry for her on your face." He paused for a brief moment and said, "It was perfectly clear to me in our past conversations that you truly loved Katara, and the weight that you now carry comes not from maintaining the peace of the world…but rather from the concern you have for her well-being during this special and critical time in your life together. Katara is a strong woman, and I have no doubt that she will make a fine mother." He chuckled and added, "I was the same way you are now when my own wife, Ta Min, was pregnant with our first child." He paused briefly and raised an eyebrow, saying "Speaking of descendants…I'm assuming Fire Lord Zuko never told you about his own ancestors."

"Told me what, Roku?" asked Aang, who was clearly confused. "I mean, I know his great-grandfather on his father's side was Fire Lord Sozin, but…he never told me about his mother's side." He attempted to put the pieces together as he tried to figure out what Roku was hinting at. If Sozin was Ozai's grandfather, then who was Ursa's grandfather? Suddenly, the realization hit him like one of Sifu Toph's boulders. "Zuko is your great-grandson?" Roku simply nodded, and for a brief moment Aang was taken aback. "I had no idea…" he murmured. Regaining some sense, he chuckled and said in amazement, "Who would have thought that the great-grandson of my predecessor would be my Firebending teacher and one of my closest friends? Destiny is a funny thing, isn't it Roku?"

"It certainly is," agreed Roku. His demeanor turned grim as he said, "Aang, I know that you didn't contact me for an idle chat and to catch up on old times." Aang was surprised at how quickly Roku's attitude had changed. "You've come here for guidance from me, and I know of the events that have led you here," simply stated the Fire Nation Avatar. Aang's expression turned serious, for this was what he had come to the Spirit World for.

"I have," replied Aang honestly. "Since you already know that Katara and some of my other friends had been captured by the Dark Legion, surely you know about the black glow that occurred during my Avatar State at their fortress during the rescue mission." He saw Roku's bright eyes grow dark, as if a shadow had passed over him. The wind in the meadow stopped blowing, and the flowing sea of grass and flowers ceased their swaying. Aang heard the low rumble of thunder somewhere off in the distance, but there was not a storm cloud in sight. He nervously gulped and asked hesitantly, "What was the black glow, Roku?" He anxiously awaited an answer as he saw Roku's expression darken. Aang could see storm clouds gathering off in the distance behind Roku, and he began to feel afraid.

"Aang," said Roku gravely, "listen carefully to what I am about to say…what you experienced in your Avatar State at the Dark Legion fortress was something that has not happened in four thousand years." Aang's eyes widened as Roku said this, and he slowly started to realize just how dangerous the black glow was. "It is called…" Roku paused before continuing. He finished his sentence with four simple words: "The Dark Avatar State." Aang's heart sank at the true name of the black glow, and a louder rumble of thunder sounded off in the distance as the storm clouds drew closer. He could feel the darkness taking hold of the land much like how his own anger and rage had when he trigged the Dark Avatar State.

"The Dark Avatar State…" whispered Aang to himself distantly as he repeated the name. He knew all too well of the power that the normal Avatar State held, but this new Dark Avatar State held untold power that he had yet to truly experience. He had but a small taste of it, and the true power of this dark state was something he had come to fear even though he had not seen it yet. "What exactly is the Dark Avatar State?" asked Aang timidly. As the storm clouds began to pass over them, he could feel a chill settle upon the meadow. It was if the icy claws of death had taken hold, and Aang knew that this storm was caused by something otherworldly.

"The Dark Avatar State," Roku began, "is a force that resides deep within the Avatar Spirit, remaining dormant until it is awakened by feelings of extreme sadness, anger, hatred, or rage. While the normal Avatar State can be triggered by these same emotions, the Dark Avatar State draws its power from these emotions on a far deeper level. The last Avatar to trigger this state was from the Earth Kingdom, one by the name of Chi Fu, who lived over four thousand years ago. His wife and young son were killed by an assassin in their home in the mountains of the Earth Kingdom, and when he found their bloody and disfigured bodies his grief and rage triggered the activation of the Dark Avatar State. His Earthbending became out of control, and he flattened hundreds of miles of mountain range in a terrible earthquake. That was how the Si Wong Desert was formed." Aang's eyes shot wide open in complete shock. This Dark Avatar State had the power to destroy an entire mountain range to create the largest desert in the world! He remembered how powerful his own bending was under the influence of the Dark Avatar State, and he shuddered to think of how much more hidden power there was behind that black glow.

"That's incredible," said Aang in complete awe. His expression turned somber as he said sadly, "But it's tragic as well…Chi Fu lost his whole family, while I came close to losing mine." He sighed heavily and said, "When I found out what the Dark Legion was going to do to Katara by…by cutting out the baby, something snapped inside of me. I felt as if I had no control over her fate, but the anger I felt towards the Dark Legion forced me into action to stop it from coming true. I had to save her, otherwise I would lose myself in the process." He hung his head down and said, "I was willing to even take a life if it meant saving Katara…." He thought about how viciously he had attacked Azula, how battered and bloody he had left her with his rock assault. He wondered if he had really killed her. He hadn't thought much about that encounter, but now it dawned on him that Azula was possibly dead because of him. He felt his heart clutch inside of his throat, feeling like he had betrayed everything the monks had taught him about non-violence.

Roku sensed Aang's grief and said, "I understand. We all do things we normally would never consider doing for the ones we love. It is all part of being human." Aang looked up at Roku with tears in his eyes, and the past Avatar smiled at the Air Nomad. Aang wiped away his tears and smiled back at Roku, feeling better after Roku's words of comfort. Roku's expression turned serious again as he said, "There is something you need to know about the Dark Avatar State…a hidden danger you are not yet aware of." Aang piped up at Roku's foreboding statement, and his fear began to rise up once more.

* * *

><p>Making their way through Ba Sing Se, Katara and Gregor strolled leisurely into the Lower Ring as they began the 'match-making' process. The Waterbender rather enjoyed walking around the city, for it gave her a chance to be herself despite her heavy pregnancy. Being indoors all day relaxing and taking care not to overexert herself for the baby's sake was driving her crazy. She had plenty of knowledge and advice from her Gran Gran on how to care for herself when she was walking around during her pregnancy. Katara also had plenty of her own experience helping dozens of other pregnant women at her home between the time of her mother's death and her discovery of Aang.<p>

She smiled as she remembered the years she had spent with her own mother, how little Katara wanted to be a mommy someday just like her mother, and how Kya would hug her close and tell her that she would be the best mommy in the whole world. However, Katara had her own concerns about parenting: Would her child love her and Aang? Were she and Aang ready for this immense responsibility of raising a child, this combination of their flesh and blood? How would she know what to do as her little baby grew up and learned about the world? Would she be able to keep her child safe? For the time being, Katara had to put these concerns aside and focus on the task at hand. "So, Gregor," she said, "how has Dreo's eye been doing since I healed it yesterday?"

Gregor looked to his right, where Katara was walking next to him, and replied, "The bruise hasn't come back, if that's what you mean." He chuckled and said, "I knew Toph was a tough fighter, but she certainly gave Dreo a run for his money." Katara smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Gregor smiled and said, "But I'm glad everything turned out well for them. They certainly look very happy together." Gregor couldn't help but feel proud of his brother for finding such a wonderful woman, and now he was getting ready to do the same.

"Yeah," agreed Katara, and the two continued walking in silence for a while as they looked around for potential clients for Gregor. As they continued walking, Katara couldn't help but notice that the way Gregor looked. His armor was spit-shined and polished, the sunlight gleaming off the highly reflective surface of the red metal. His hair was combed perfectly, his top knot in peak condition. His head was held high, a confident smile on his face. His eyes were alight with a flame that had never burned in them before. Katara knew that Gregor was a proud man, but he never sought to show himself off like this before. "Are you OK, Gregor?" she asked, concerned that he may be letting what was going on get to his head.

Gregor looked down at Katara and proudly replied, "Am I OK? By Agni's fire, I feel fantastic!" He shouted this last part, earning him strange looks from the people walking in the street around them. Gregor ignored them and said excitedly, "I've never felt so alive in my whole life!" He looked down in a brief moment of sadness and said, "I had given up hope on finding a girl of my own a long time ago." Looking back at Katara, he happily smiled and said, "But you brought it back, Katara. You've helped to rekindle my inner fire, making it burn brighter than ever before." Katara smiled kindly back at Gregor, and she could feel her cheeks burning up at Gregor's praise. She had always been the one who gave people hope, no matter what their situation was.

"Well," muttered Katara, "I am the Overemotional Queen of Hope, as everyone likes to call me." Gregor began laughing loudly, his deep voice echoing throughout the crowded streets of the Lower Ring. Katara was surprised how easy it was to forget how underneath Gregor's formal and noble appearance was the fun-loving and gregarious Gregor. Ever since the war had ended, Katara had seen a different side of the once-hated Fire Nation. There were good and honorable people in the Fire Nation, such as Zuko, Iroh, Ty Lee, Mai, Gregor, and (by extension) Dreo. The people of the Fire Nation were full of life, their inner fires driving them to accomplish anything they set their minds to. It was this side of the Fire Nation that helped Katara to change her views on the country she had once hated for the murder of her mother, and it also helped her to accept her own mother's passing. After several years of peace-work after the war, she saw a bright future for the Fire Nation and was glad that Zuko was leading them into that future. She also saw a bright future for Gregor as well, and she smiled at the thought.

"You!" cried out a female voice from behind them. Gregor stopped laughing, and the two stopped walking and looked behind them to see a red-haired woman storming angrily towards them. Katara had never seen this woman before, but by the angry look on her face the Waterbender could tell that she was clearly upset with Gregor. The woman was about five and a half feet tall, putting her well below Gregor's height of six foot four, and she looked to be in her mid-twenties. Her skin was flawless, and her eyes were a deep shade of green. Her loose red hair billowed down to her shoulders, and she wore the outfit of a commoner of the city. She walked up to the two and stopped a couple feet away, pointing a finger at Gregor and saying, "You're that Firebender who so rudely knocked me over yesterday and didn't even bother to apologize!" Katara looked at Gregor with a raised eyebrow, while he was looking at the accusing finger in front of him with confusion.

Gregor looked hard upon the woman's face as she crossed her arms and scowled at him, for he was trying to remember just who exactly this woman was. His eyes were narrowed as his mind went hard to work. He remembered running into someone after he ran out of the bar, but he couldn't quite recall who it was. His eyes suddenly shot open as he remembered, and he said frantically, "Oh…oh I am so, SO sorry about that! I-I didn't mean to knock you over…I was just, uh, in a hurry to attend to some, um, urgent…personal business." Sweat began to appear on Gregor's forehead, showing how nervous he was as he rubbed the back of his head. Katara knew that Gregor wasn't about to reveal that his brother had been brainwashed by the Dai Li to some woman he accidentally knocked over on the street.

"Right…" said the woman incredulously, "I assume this 'urgent personal business' had something to do with your pregnant wife here." As she said this, she pointed a finger at Katara. The Waterbender's face instantly reddened at the woman's thinking that she was Gregor's spouse, while the Firebender's face did the same thing.

Both of them had looks of embarrassed shock on their faces as they quickly looked at each other in surprise, but they quickly broke off the awkward contact and looked back at the woman. Both of them hastily said, "He/She is not my husband/wife! We're just friends!" The woman blinked at them in surprise at their simultaneous outbursts. Gregor composed himself and said, "I suppose we should introduce ourselves." He bowed respectfully to the woman and said, "My name is Gregor and, as you have already guessed, I'm a Firebender as well as Fire Lord Zuko's top general." Gesturing towards his Waterbending companion, he added "This here is my good friend Katara, the wife of Avatar Aang." Katara, being unable to bow in her current condition, simply smiled and nodded in acknowledgement to the woman.

The red-haired woman's expression changed from irritated anger at Gregor to complete awe at Katara as she looked upon the Waterbender. "Oh my goodness…Lady Katara!" quickly said the woman as she bowed respectfully to her. "Forgive me for my rudeness…and for not recognizing you sooner." Coming out of her bow, she added, "You look absolutely radiant, even in the midst of your heavy pregnancy with Avatar Aang's child." Katara smiled sweetly at the woman, glad to receive such praise from a fellow member of her gender. "I'm Meigui," said the woman in introduction, smiling the whole time.

"Hello, Meigui," replied Katara, "it's very nice to meet you. But you don't have to use such formalities with me. Just call me Katara." She smiled at Meigui, who nodded affirmatively at Katara's request. "Thank you for your kind words," continued Katara. "This pregnancy hasn't been the easiest thing in the world to get used to, but I've adjusted over time." She winced and gasped slightly as the baby kicked again, and both Gregor and Meigui made a move to help her but were blocked by a raised hand from Katara. "I'm fine," said Katara breathlessly. Seeing the concerned looks on their faces, she said, "Really, you two. I'm fine." She smiled at their concern, despite how much she disliked people harping on her all of the time.

Resuming their conversation, Gregor said nervously, "So…Meigui…I must say you have the prettiest green eyes of anyone I've ever seen. Your eyes are like the verdant fields of the Earth Kingdom in the spring, so full of life and energy yet vast and mysterious beyond all comprehension." As he continued speaking, his voice became more confident in his poetic praise of Meigui's eyes. Meigui began giggling as her face began to blush, and Katara could hardly believe what she was hearing. Gregor was trying to flirt with Meigui! She couldn't help but smile at her friend's new found confidence in talking to girls. "If I'm correct," continued Gregor, "your name means 'Rose'." Meigui giggled again and nodded, still blushing at Gregor's compliments. Gregor chuckled and said, "It is an appropriate name for one as beautiful as you, and your hair matches the luster of the brightest rose in the Fire Nation." Meigui's breathing began to quicken, and she started to fan herself with her hand to cool off.

_By the Spirits,_ thought Katara in amazement, _he's a natural at this! He practically has Meigui in the palm of his hand, and he just adds more fuel to the fire with his words of praise. I just hope he doesn't take advantage of this poor girl._ She pondered this thought for a brief second, then immediately shoved it out. _No…Gregor would never do something like that. He's waited a long time for a chance like this, and he wouldn't want to do anything to mess up his chances with this woman._ She smiled to herself and thought, _If only Aang could see me now, helping our friend to find love in the most unlikely of places._ Her smile turned into a slight frown as she thought, _I wonder how he's doing with Roku? I hope he's OK._ But she knew that Aang was safe in Roku's capable hands, and she turned her attention back to Gregor and Meigui.

"I have something for you," said Gregor mysteriously, and Meigui's gaze became fixed on the Firebender. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, and he held out his hand in front of him. A flame suddenly produced itself in his palm, causing Meigui to jump slightly. The soft flames reflected in Meigui's verdant eyes, giving her eyes new life that burned bright within them. Gregor closed his hand quickly, and suddenly a Fire Lily appeared in between his fingers. Both Meigui and Katara gasped at the sight of the flower. Katara knew that Firebenders were renowned for their mastery of flames, but she had never seen one create a flower out of nothing but fire. Gregor was pulling out all the stops, and Katara wondered if he had been planning this for a while. Gregor presented the flower to Meigui with a flourish, saying, "For you, my dear."

Meigui blushed and smiled as she took the flower delicately from Gregor's strong hand. She smelt its sweet, fiery fragrance and let out a sigh of pleasure. "I must say, Gregor, I've never met anyone from the Fire Nation quite like you before." Her blush reddened as she added, "I would like to spend some time with you…now, if you prefer." Katara could see a sparkle in Meigui's eyes, and the Waterbender knew that Gregor's performance had completely pulled her in.

"Of course," replied Gregor, "but first, I would like to take Katara back to her husband." Katara smiles at the mention of her Aang, although Meigui seemed slightly disappointed. "He is deep in meditation consulting with one of his past lives on a serious matter that has come up recently. We're staying at the Jasmine Dragon, the tea shop in the Upper Ring owned by Iroh." Meigui's blush vanished and her eyes widened in surprise.

"The Jasmine Dragon? That's where I work at!" Gregor and Katara eyes widened in the same surprised look that Meigui had. "I thought the tea shop closed a couple of days ago?" she said in a confused voice. "There was a sign on the side of the entrance that said 'Closed for Reservations'." Meigui looked to Gregor and Katara for answers.

"Well…" Katara said, "Iroh must have closed the tea shop when we got here a couple of days ago, although none of us saw him put the sign out. We've got important business to attend to in Ba Sing Se, but we're not sure how much longer we'll be staying." She could see Gregor eyeing her cautiously, hoping that she wouldn't reveal anything about the Dark Legion or the Dai Li. She glanced at Gregor, giving him a look that indicated that she would not divulge any sensitive information to Meigui. Gregor slightly nodded in affirmation, and she returned her attention to Meigui. "We're sorry that our being here is causing you to not be paid for your job."

"Don't worry about it, Katara," said Meigui assuredly. "The other employees and I had a talk with him about our financial compensation for us not being able to work, and he said he would pay us double whatever we would have earned during the time we would have been working." She smiled and said, "Besides, he gets enough business from the Earth Kingdom nobles here in the city that he is not at risk of losing the Jasmine Dragon."

Gregor sighed and said, "That's Iroh for you. Always willing to put aside his own business to help out those he considers his family. There's not another man quite like him in our world today." Both Meigui and Katara nodded in agreement with Gregor's statement, for they all knew Iroh's nature by heart. Gregor put on a big smile and said, "But let's make our way back to the tea shop. We'll drop off Katara and continue on from there." Meigui smiled and nodded, and the three began making their way back to the Jasmine Dragon. Katara couldn't help but smile as she saw Gregor and Meigui engage in lively conversation, and she knew that those two would become very close friends, if not something more than that.

* * *

><p>The dark storm clouds continued swirling high above the two Avatars as they stood in the darkened meadow. A sense of apprehension had overcome Aang, and he feared what he would find out next from Roku about the Dark Avatar State. "W-What's the hidden danger, Roku?" he nervously stammered. The darkness around them grew stronger with each passing moment, and lightning had begun streaking through the sky. An ominous wind had begun blowing through the still meadow, cold and unforgiving in its malice as it coursed around Aang.<p>

Roku looked at Aang with a grave seriousness in his eyes and said solemnly, "You know well enough that in the normal Avatar State, you draw power from the bending skills of all the past Avatars into your body. But in the Dark Avatar State, those powers are tripled in their strength and ferocity." Aang's eyes widened in shock. He had no idea that his bending was that much more powerful in the Dark Avatar State.

"Why would an Avatar not want to access such power?" asked Aang. "Better yet, why haven't more of the past Avatars done so?" He raised his hands defensively and said, "I don't want to ever have to use this power again. I just need to understand what it is so that it doesn't happen again." Aang could feel the weather changing again in its power. The wind grew stronger, and the lightning began dancing more quickly through the clouds. The loud rumble of thunder was heard from all directions, as if the very ground itself were growling at Aang.

Roku's eyes shone again as he said, "All the Avatars are not aware of this power until one of two things happens: the first is that they actually trigger the Dark Avatar State, and the second is that most of us do not learn about it until we pass on into the Spirit World. It is the duty of every past Avatar to watch over their successor in case this dark power is triggered again, and when it does give the current Avatar all the information about the Dark Avatar State." Gesturing to Aang with his hand, he said "In your case, I am teaching you the dangers of this power because you have activated it already." Putting his arm back into the folds of his robe, his bright eyes began to darken once more. "I have told you that the Dark Avatar State is triggered by intense feelings of anger, sadness, and loss…and I know that at the time you feared that you would lose Katara to death. Now you must guard her and ensure that she is not killed by your enemies." A lightning bolt streaked out from the heavens and struck somewhere over the horizon behind Roku, illuminating the Fire Nation Avatar and making him appear as a dark silhouette.

"What would happen if Katara died?" asked Aang with difficulty, almost unable to bring himself to say that dreaded last word. He couldn't imagine his life if Katara died, for it would completely destroy him. Something changed in the atmosphere around him after he had asked his question. The darkness began to press down upon him, slightly constricting his breathing. The wind was blowing furiously through the meadow, sending the plants on the ground into a swaying frenzy. Lightning began striking dangerously close around them, shaking the ground with violent and deafening explosions of electricity and fire. Aang didn't know if he could die in the Spirit World, but he was desperately hoping that he wouldn't have to find out. Roku didn't seem afraid of what was going on around them, so Aang began to relax a little. "Roku, what would happen?" asked Aang again, desperate for the Fire Nation Avatar to say something.

Darkness enveloped Roku's eyes as he said clearly above the noise around them, "If Katara is killed, you will enter the Dark Avatar State and destroy whoever took her life. After the murderer is destroyed, you will be unable to exit the Dark Avatar State. Your grief, sadness, and anger at the loss of Katara will be so unbearable that you will lose control of your own powers. The Dark Avatar State will consume you, and all the bending powers of all the past Avatars will be unleashed upon the world with one thousand-fold strength and power." Aang's heart seemed to stop beating as Roku said these dark words of doom, and he could hardly breathe as the darkness around him began closing in on him. "Imagine the following, Aang: The archipelago of the Fire Nation swallowed up by a massive tornado so powerful it can rip the islands off of their earthen foundations and toss the floating islands around like a child's toy...the whole of the Earth Kingdom flooded by a massive tidal wave that submerges everything from the lowest valley to the highest mountain...the Air Temples and the mountains surrounding them completely obliterated by an earthquake so powerful that it rips the earth apart and can be felt thousands of miles away...and the Water Tribes and the Poles engulfed in a conflagration of fire so powerful that even the power bestowed upon all the Firebenders of world by a million Sozin's Comets would be nothing more than a lit match before a raging wildfire." At each example, Aang's heart grew heavier and heavier with dread and despair. He could see it all happening in his mind, the apocalypse of their world. He could feel the power and devastation that each element would bring upon the world, and he began shaking at the thought of such destructive power being unleashed all at once. Then Roku delivered the final blow; "It will be the end of the world, as you know it." Aang's confidence completely collapsed, and he staggered back a few steps.

Aang's heart was racing, pounding in his chest and threatening to burst out. _How could this happen?_ thought Aang to himself fearfully. _Now anytime Katara's near me, I have to make sure she stays alive or…or…or the world will be destroyed!_ Lightning continued to strike the ground around them, but the explosions sounded far-off and muted in Aang's ears. He was still trying to process all that Roku had said. Roku had just revealed the doomsday of the world to him, and it would be his entire fault if he lost control of the Dark Avatar State. There had to be some way to prevent this from coming true…there just had to be! "What can I do to prevent this?" asked Aang earnestly.

"You must swear upon your duty as the Avatar that you will not let Katara fight in the final battle," replied Roku, and Aang was taken aback for a second. "If she is not present when you face the Emperor of Darkness, he cannot use her against you. She must not fight by your side, otherwise she puts you and the world at risk of destruction. She may help you and your allies plan out your plan of attack against the Dark Legion, but she cannot take part in any fighting. But if she is killed, then all I have said will come to pass." He paused for a moment, but Aang was hesitant to swear his promise. What if she had given birth by then? Would she even be able to fight? How would she react if Aang sent her away even if she was in a condition to fight? "SWEAR IT!" Roku snapped angrily just as a lightning bolt exploded behind him, flames leaping high above him.

Aang jumped back and threw his arms up to protect himself, but lowered them once the danger had passed. He had never seen Roku angry before, and he knew that the Fire Nation Avatar was deadly serious. "I swear upon my eternal duty as the Avatar that my wife, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, will not fight by my side when I face the Emperor of Darkness in final combat to maintain the balance of the world." Aang put as much force and confidence as he could behind his vow to show that he was serious.

After Aang had sworn his vow, the storm around them calmed completely. A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, lifting the constricting darkness around them. The clouds above them began to dissipate, causing more shafts of light to break through the dark veil. The pressure around Aang's chest seemed to fade away, allowing him to breathe normally again. The dark clouds finally disappeared, and the two Avatars were left standing in the middle of the green meadow once more. Roku sighed heavily and said, "Thank you, Aang. I know you will do whatever you have to in order to defeat the Emperor of Darkness." He smiled kindly and added, "We are all very proud of what you have done for the world. You have truly become a fully-realized Avatar, worthy of recognition by the world for all your accomplishments." At Roku's kind words, Aang beamed with pride and was humbled by what the Fire Nation Avatar said.

"Thank you, Avatar Roku," said Aang sincerely. He smiled and said happily, "At least once this trouble with the Dark Legion is over with, I can get on with my life and raise my new family with Katara. I'm kind of nervous about our first child, but I want to spend the rest of my life with Katara. We're in this together until the very end." Roku's kind smile slowly turned into a frown, and a look of sadness entered his bright amber eyes. Aang noticed this, and he asked, "What's wrong, Roku? I know I said I'd keep Katara out of the fight but I still love her with all my heart." There was a look of pity in Roku's eyes, and a sense of apprehension came over Aang.

"Aang…" cautiously said Roku, as if he knew something Aang didn't. "There is something you need to know." He drew in a deep breath and said, "While you were frozen in your Avatar State in the iceberg, your human spirit aged well beyond that of your body due to the energy of the Avatar State. While your physical body is only 22, your spirit is actually 122 years old." A twinge of fear appeared in Aang's heart. Where was Roku going with this? "What I mean to say…is that your human spirit is slowly dying, much faster than that of your friends and wife. I am afraid you will not live to see your 70th year." Aang's heart froze solid as the truth of his demise hit home in his mind. He was going to die an early death, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His legs gave out from under him and he collapsed to his knees, trembling the whole time. "I am sorry, Aang," said Roku sadly, and tears sprang to Aang's eyes.

"What?" whispered Aang in a deathly quiet voice. "Y-You mean I'm going to…to die before Katara?" Roku nodded somberly, and Aang's tears fell down his face. His heart was crushed beyond repair; how could he leave his eternal soul mate all alone in this world by dying earlier than her? He needed Katara in his life more than anything in the world, and he knew she felt the same way. "It's not fair!" cried Aang miserably as he stood back up, his sadness eating away at his soul. "Why should I die early when Kyoshi lived to be 230 years old?" he shouted through his tears. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed dejectedly at the thought that, years down the road, Katara would be looking down at him in his deathbed. The thought broke his heart, and he choked out the words, "I can't leave Katara…I just can't…" Roku took pity on the monk's plight, seeing that the thought of losing Katara devastated the young Avatar.

"Kyoshi lived a fortunate and blessed life," Roku said, "but that does not make you any less of a person than she was. Do not judge the quality of your life with Katara by the number of years you live, but rather by HOW you lived them. Live life to the fullest, raise your family with love and care, and look forward to the happy years you still have ahead of you. When the day of your death does finally come, when you are looking up from your deathbed at the tear-filled eyes of your elderly wife, you will not have any regrets in your heart. You will truly be at peace, for I can assure you that your love for each other will carry on after death. She, however, will live on long after you pass on and she will see the next Avatar revealed to the world. Then she will pass on and join you in the Spirit World, where you two will be forever." As Roku was consoling Aang, the monk slowly stopped sobbing and looked at Roku with tear-filled eyes. By the end of his monologue, the young Air Nomad Avatar was smiling and wiped away his tears, although he still felt a twinge of sadness inside his heart.

"Aang?" called out a voice behind Aang, a voice that sound like Katara's. He whipped his head around, but all he saw was a bright light off in the distance. Through the silhouette, he could see Katara standing in front of his meditating physical body. "Aang? It's me…Katara. Can you hear me?" Aang started to run off towards the light, but he stopped and turned back at Roku. The past Avatar smiled and nodded his approval for Aang's departure. Aang smiled back at Roku, quickly bowed to him, and ran off towards the light. As he got closer, the light blinded him and he felt a tugging sensation grab hold of him. He closed his eyes as he felt his body being dragged back to the mortal world. When he opened them again, he saw Katara standing in front of him with a big smile on her angelic face. "Welcome back," said Katara happily. As if reading Aang's mind, she said giddily, "Guess what? Gregor's gone off with Meigui, a young woman we met in the Lower Ring. Isn't that wonderful?" Aang smiled and nodded in agreement with his wife, for no words could find their way to his lips at the present moment. He was simply reveling in the presence of his wife, glad to finally be back within arm's reach of her. "So how did it go with Roku?" asked Katara. Aang's smile dropped off his face as his expression darkened, remembering the dangers of the Dark Avatar State and the news of his early death. Katara sensed the change within Aang, and she asked, "What's wrong, Aang?"

"Come here," said Aang somberly, and the two of them went and sat on the bed. He told Katara everything Roku had said about the Dark Avatar State; Avatar Chi Fu and his terrible Earthbending rage that created the Si Wong Desert, the enhanced bending powers in the Dark Avatar State, and the doomsday scenario that would occur should he lose control of the Dark Avatar State. However, he left out the parts about her being the cause of his entrance into the Dark Avatar State and his vow to Roku to keep her out of battle until the Dark Legion was defeated. As much as they trusted and loved each other, he couldn't burden his wife with the thought that her death would lead to the end of him and the rest of the world. Katara became horrified as Aang described all of this to her. Here was her Aang, the man she loved more than life itself, full of so much dark power that he could destroy the whole world.

As Aang began to sadly tell her the grim news of his early death, her heart felt crushed. _He's going to die before me? He won't even live to be seventy!_ she thought sadly as tears came into her eyes. She wouldn't be able to handle him dying before her. He was her entire world, and fate thought it a cruel joke to take him from her long before she was destined to die. She was devastated by this news, and the tears she tried so hard to hold back flowed freely down her smooth face. "Oh, Aang…" she said, her voice cracking with sorrow. Husband and wife embraced each other in a hug of comfort and support, both letting their heart-felt sorrow pour out of their souls. They remained locked in each other's arms for five minutes, slowly rocking back and forth soothingly. As they separated, Katara looked Aang in the eyes and said, "We should tell the others…about everything." Aang nodded solemnly, and the two wiped away their tears. Both of them made their way into the tea shop and gathered everyone to tell them what Roku had told Aang.


	11. Chapter Ten: Driving Out the Dai Li

Whoa boy! This one's a doozy, I gotta tell you right now. I spent a while on this chapter, and I think it turned out very well. As is the usual order of business, please read and review! Thank you to all those who have supported me so far. :) I would like to give a special shout-out to RhiannaRobbins, my new partner-in-crime here on for Avatar: The Last Airbender. :D You go, girl! (At least I assume you're a girl, judging by your Pen Name. :P But either way, you rock!)

I'd also like to give another special shout-out to one of my newest fans, The gooroo. He left me a very nice and thorough review of my story and, in recognition of his enthusiasm and support, I would like to present The gooroo with this "Most Enthusiastic FanFiction Reader" Award. *Hands award to The gooroo* Again, I would like to publicly thank The gooroo for his review of my story. It brought much joy to my heart. :D

I still love all of my fans who so faithfully follow my story! Thank you to those who support me and my work!

P.S.: If you're reading this, that means I already have Chapter Eleven written up and am currently working on Chapter Twelve. Just a little heads up for ya'll. :P

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Ten: Driving Out the Dai Li**

"Come on, ladies!" shouted Toph tauntingly. She launched another series of rocks at Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Gregor. Aang blasted his rock away with a gust of air from his staff, Sokka sliced through his rock with his space sword, while Zuko and Gregor melted their rocks with simultaneous fireballs. Toph took her stance once more as she shouted, "You're not going to be able to beat the Dai Li when your fighting style is as sloppy as Sokka's artistic skills!" Aang, Zuko, and Gregor kept a straight face and their fighting stances while Sokka started fuming at the blind Earthbender.

"Hey! You know that painting was special!" countered Sokka. He crossed his arms in front of his chest as he scowled at Toph. "It was shortly after the war was over, and I wanted to capture the moment. I was still in my teens for Yue's sake!" He closed his eyes and held up his head, saying "And furthermore – OMPH!" He was sent flying by another rock that Toph had shot at him when his eyes were closed. The others watched as he landed about seven feet away from them, a dazed look on his face. Shaking off his confusion, Sokka shoved the small rock off his chest. He quickly stood up and angrily shouted, "I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT, TOPH!" Taking his space boomerang out of the sheath on his back, he wound back and threw it at the blind Earthbender with all his strength. The others watched as Toph stood her ground, for she was listening to the boomerang fly through the air. She stomped her foot and raised her arms to the side, and a wall of earth rose to her left. The projectile bounced off of its angled surface and soared past the others in its return flight to its master. Sokka went wide-eyed as he saw the black object streaking towards him, but he couldn't react fast enough to catch it. "GAH!" he shouted painfully as the boomerang conked him on the head and he fell to the ground once more.

The others stifled their laughter at the sight of the Water Tribe Warrior being knocked out by his own boomerang. Toph noticed them being distracted and shouted, "Ladies! Eyes front!" The three men looked at Toph, amusement at Sokka's mishap gleaming in their eyes. Toph could sense their merriment and shouted, "Wipe those stupid smiles off your faces! This is serious! You have to be prepared to fight the Dai Li!" She bent down low and punched the earth, sending waves of earthen spires towards the others. Aang jumped up into the air on a pillar of rock, and then he twirled his staff in front of him to generate a strong wind to try and knock Toph over. Zuko and Gregor dodged their earthen spires and punched fireballs in Toph's direction. Toph buried herself underground, neatly dodging all the attacks.

Needless to say, all of them were surprised at this change in Toph's tactics. She was the one who usually stood her ground against attacks, not dodge them with clever tricks. But then they realized that she was adapting to her tactics to be like those of the Dai Li, which consisted of ranged and sneak attacks. Aang concentrated and sent out seismic shockwaves from his feet throughout the ground, hoping he could detect his Sifu Toph before she popped out of the ground. Surprisingly, he couldn't detect anything below the courtyard behind the tea shop where he and the others were at. Suddenly the ground began trembling slightly, as if a Badger-mole were slowly making its way above ground. The ground opened up behind them with a loud _CRACK!_ causing them to swing their heads around. There stood Toph with her hands encased in rock gloves, similar to those used by the Dai Li. "Rock like, Twinkle Toes!" she shouted, launching her rock gloves at Aang. The Avatar prepared to intercept them, but he was suddenly distracted by his thoughts. The rock gloves smashed against his chest, exploding on impact and sending him flying across the courtyard.

Aang landed about ten feet from where the others were at. He wasn't hurt, just a little sore from Toph's attack. Zuko and Gregor looked at Aang in surprised astonishment. He was always flawless in combat situations. Why did he get hit now, just before they set out to fight the Dai Li? Toph now directed her attention to the two Firebenders, snapping them back into training with her. They ran at her, dodging earthen pillars that jutted out of the ground every time Toph stomped her foot. The blind Earthbender shot a rock at Zuko as he came up on her left, but he dodged it with a burst of flames from his feet. He landed back on the ground and punched at her with both fists, producing a large fireball. At the same time, Gregor shot up into the air on Toph's right. He spun in mid-air, producing arcs of fire as he kicked out with his feet. Toph raised up her right hand and bent her elbow, as if she were holding something up. A rock wall rose up on her left, blocking Zuko's fireball. She made several chopping motions in front of her, then raised her arms as she created a cloud of dust that enveloped her. The dust snuffed out Gregor's fire attack, and the three benders continued their training session.

"That's OK, I'll get Aang," called out Sokka in annoyance at everyone ignoring him. He made his way over to Aang, who was still lying on his back as he looked at the open sky. The Water Tribe Warrior stood over the Avatar, and his gaze was met by a pair of gray eyes. "What's with you, Aang?" asked Sokka. "You're letting Toph beat you around more than usual." He offered a hand to Aang, who accepted it and was hoisted back onto his feet. Aang's eyes lingered on Sokka's face for a brief moment before he looked away, as if he was ashamed to look at his friend. Sokka noticed this, and he could tell something was bothering Aang. He may not have been able to read all of Aang's facial expressions as well as Katara could, but he had been around the monk long enough that he knew pretty much everything about him. "I'm guessing you're thinking about what Roku told you yesterday, aren't you?" asked Sokka carefully, for the Dark Avatar State was an issue that none of them really liked to discuss.

Aang looked back at Sokka with what seemed like guilt in his eyes. "Yeah…" he said gloomily. Yesterday's council with Roku had taken a toll on his spirit, and he was still recovering from what his predecessor had told him. To think he had the potential to destroy the entire world…the very thought of that doomsday brought a dark cloud over his soul. But the news of his early death had had a profound impact on everyone. They had all shared their condolences with Aang, but the damage to the spirit of the group had been done. By driving out the Dai Li, Aang hoped that they would forget about that sad news and focus on defeating the Dark Legion. He thought about Katara, and he decided that his two closest guy friends should know his secret. "Sokka," said Aang, "there's something I need to tell you and Zuko…it's about Katara."

Sokka began to grow apprehensive. He knew that if Aang needed to talk to him and Zuko about Katara that it had to be serious. "Sure," he replied uneasily, and he turned towards where the others were still training. "Hey Zuko!" he shouted, and the Fire Lord stopped training to look at Sokka. Toph and Gregor kept on fighting, rocks and fireballs flying through the air during their brawl. "Get your flaming butt over here!" ordered Sokka. Zuko scowled at him while he made his way over towards them. Once he arrived, Sokka looked back at Aang and asked, "So what do you need to tell us?"

"Well…" began Aang hesitantly, "I didn't exactly tell you guys everything yesterday. Roku told me something that I couldn't reveal to Katara." Both Sokka and Zuko were taken aback in their surprise at Aang. _I hope I'm doing the right thing_, thought Aang to himself. _No…I have to tell them, for Katara's sake._ He sighed and said, "The only way I would ever trigger the Dark Avatar State again is if Katara is killed before we defeat the Dark Legion. Roku said that I would kill whoever took her life, and then lose control of the Dark Avatar State…which would lead to the end of the world." His friends were astonished at what Aang had revealed to them.

"Wow…" Zuko said in amazement. "That's pretty serious…but why are you telling us this? Shouldn't you have told Katara? After all, she is your wife." Zuko always shared everything he knew with Mai, no matter how serious it was. _Then again…when I left the Fire Nation to help Aang during The War, I didn't tell Mai what I was planning. I'm sure he has a reason for not telling Katara_, he thought to himself. He knew from his early days with Team Avatar how much Aang cared for Katara and that he would never do anything to hurt her. He had never seen a couple quite like them before, so full of love and connected on a profoundly deep level.

"I know," Aang said dejectedly, "but I didn't want to burden her with this. How do you think she would feel knowing that if she died I would cause the end of the world?" He shook his head sadly and sighed. "She already knows I'm going to die before her…why should I hurt her even more?" A tear came to his eye as he said, "It's all my fault…" He hated himself at that moment. How could he even think of hurting Katara?

Sokka put a strong hand on Aang's shoulder and said firmly, "No it's not. I know you were both upset and saddened at the fact that you won't live as long as her, but that was something that couldn't have been helped." He looked into Aang's eyes and said, "I understand your concern for Katara's well-being and I know that you have always done everything in Katara's best interest. As her older brother, I trust your judgment in this matter." He smiled at Aang, trying to bring some comfort to the monk. Aang smiled back and wiped away his tear.

Zuko raised his good eyebrow and said, "I don't think I've ever seen this side of you, Sokka. Whatever happened to that kid who freaked out every time his little sister and bald friend kissed each other? I could have sworn that same kid threatened to kill said bald friend if he should even think of making babies with said little sister before they were married?" Sokka and Aang began laughing hysterically at Zuko, and soon the Fire Lord joined in with them. Toph and Gregor heard their laughter, and both stopped their bending. Gregor looked at Toph with a confused look on his face, and the blind Earthbender shrugged. They got back in their fighting stances and continued their training, sending more dirt and fire flying through the air.

Once they had all stopped laughing, Aang said, "So now you know my secret." Suddenly thinking of his promise to Avatar Roku, he added, "Can you guys promise me that you'll protect Katara and help me make sure that she doesn't take part in any battles after she gives birth?" He needed their full support in this endeavor, but he didn't want to reveal that he had sworn to Roku that he would keep Katara from fighting. A vow between Avatars was something that should never be disclosed to others. However, he had turned his secret vow into a personal request for his two friends. Both of them nodded, and Aang let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, guys," he said gratefully. "You have no idea how much better that makes me feel."

"Aang," said Zuko, "you don't need to ask us to protect Katara. She's one of us, and we look out for one another." He grasped his chin in his hand and said, "Besides…if she isn't around for the enemy to hurt her, you can't go into the Dark Avatar State. It makes sense to keep her out of the fight, in that case." Sokka nodded in agreement with what Zuko was saying. The Fire Lord smiled and jokingly added, "You stress out too much sometimes. Relax, will you?" He playfully rubbed Aang's bald head with the same hand that he had used to grasp his chin.

Aang swatted away Zuko's hand as if it were a beetle-fly. "Hey, I have plenty of reasons to be stressed out," he retorted in a matter-of-fact tone. "I am the Avatar, after all. It's my job to stress out about these sorts of things. You wouldn't know just how much stress I deal with on a daily basis." As he said this, Zuko scowled at Aang indignantly.

"Ha!" scoffed Zuko. "You think you've got it bad? Try running an entire nation that was the instigator of one of the deadliest wars in the history of the world, and try making up for that nation's mistakes through peace efforts and rebuilding relations with the rest of the world. And don't even get me started on all the paperwork that goes along with the job." The Avatar and the Fire Lord shared hard looks with each other, tension thick in the air. But soon they broke out into smiles and started laughing again. Sokka slapped his forehead, thinking about how hard-headed Aang and Zuko could be sometimes.

Suddenly a tremor shot through the ground and knocked the three of them off of their feet. When they looked up, they could see Toph and Gregor standing there with smirks on their mischievous faces. The courtyard looked as good as new thanks to the repairs by Toph's bending. "If you ladies are done gossiping," said Toph, "we have to get going." As Aang, Sokka, and Zuko stood up, she added, "Iroh and Dreo agreed to stay behind and look after everyone else." Directing her attention towards Aang, she added, "Someone's gotta protect Sugar Queen, right Twinkle Toes?" Aang blushed and rubbed his head bashfully. "So," she said as she cracked her knuckles, "where do we start our butt-kicking quest?"

"We should find the Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se," replied Zuko. "The same place where Azula shot Aang." A shiver went up Aang's spine as he remembered that day when he had died at Azula's hands. He could feel the scar on his back burning as he recalled the pain that had shot through him when the lightning struck him. But a miracle had been performed that day by Katara when she brought Aang back to the land of the living with Spirit Water from the Oasis at the North Pole. He also knew that Zuko was avoiding the fact that his betrayal of Aang and Katara had also occurred there, but Aang knew better than to open up old wounds. "If the Dai Li is with the Dark Legion," continued Zuko, "they'll be in the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness harvesting those Death Rubies that Uncle and Kuei told us about."

"Hold on a minute," said Sokka as he threw up his arms in a 'stop-everything' gesture. "I thought you told us that King Kuei said that Avatar Kyoshi had sealed it off a long time ago? How would the Dai Li be able to find it? I mean, it's a CAVE. Who knows how far down it is?" Aang had to agree with Sokka on this point, but everyone else was unconvinced.

"Hey, Snoozles," said Toph sarcastically, "it's called Earthbending. You know, the thing that lets me do this?" To emphasize her point, she thrust her hands in a pushing motion towards the ground with the back of her hands facing the earth and fingers pointed towards each other. The ground beneath shifted and collapsed to form a man-sized hole. "Express hole to the Catacombs," she announced with a flourish of her hands. Aang jumped in the hole first, followed by Zuko and Gregor. As Sokka walked up to the hole, he looked at Toph with annoyed anger. She flashed him a big toothy grin and said cheerfully, "After you, Meat Head." He scowled at her, despite the fact that he knew that she was blind and couldn't see him scowl.

"I hate you," he seethed angrily. He looked down into the dark hole, and a sense of uneasiness set itself in him. Toph felt like he had hesitated for too long and kicked him in the butt, causing him lose his balance. He comically pinwheeled his arms in an unsuccessful attempt to keep from falling in. "AHHHHH!" cried out Sokka in panic as he fell into the hole. Toph laughed at his misfortune and jumped in the hole after him, sealing the earth behind them.

* * *

><p>Inside the tea shop were Katara, Meigui, Mai (with little Sun Tzu in her lap), Suki, Dreo, and Iroh sitting at a round table quietly sipping their tea. Sun Tzu was gently tugging at strands of Mai's hair that hung down her sides, but she didn't seem to mind this as she smiled at her little boy. Suki was giggling at what Sun Tzu's antics, thinking how much Mai had changed into a motherly figure over the years. Dreo seemed slightly depressed as he stared at the tea cup in his hands, obviously worried about his girlfriend Toph. He knew that she would be fine, but he cared a lot about her and didn't want her to get hurt while fighting the Dai Li. He had volunteered to stay behind and watch the others, but Toph knew that he didn't want to make himself a weapon for the Dai Li if his brainwashing hadn't been completely broken. He hated not being able to help Toph in her fight, but Gregor had taught him a long time ago that a real man knows where he is needed the most.<p>

Suddenly Sokka's cry of panic cut through the air, causing everyone at the table to take notice of it and look towards the open back door that led to the courtyard. They saw Toph laughing at the Water Tribe Warrior and then saw her jumping in a hole that was in the ground and closed it behind her. Everyone at the table figured that Toph had caused Sokka to fall in the hole, and they all burst out laughing. Once they had all stopped laughing, Katara happily said, "I guess the others are on their way to fight the Dai Li." Her thoughts turned to Aang, worried about his safety not only from the Dai Li…but also from the Dark Avatar State. _I hope he knows what he's doing_, she thought to herself. _He's been in dangerous situations before, but this whole deal with the Dark Avatar State…it's a completely different kind of danger. But I know he'll be careful_. Turning her attention to Meigui, she said, "So Meigui, why don't you tell us about yourself? Since you're the newest part of our group, it's time that we got to know you." The Waterbender smiled warmly at the red-haired woman, who blushed at Katara's interest in her.

"Thank you for your kindness," replied Meigui cheerily. "I can see that the Avatar…I mean, Aang, is in good company with friends like all of you." Everyone smiled at Meigui, glad to have her in the group. "I'm actually an Earthbender," she said, "although I'm not very good at it." She blushed, embarrassed at her lack of skill in the bending art of her nation. But everything seemed intrigued at this fact about her, and they all looked at her with interest.

"I'm sure Toph can teach you," chimed in Dreo, obviously happy to see that there was another Earthbender in their group besides Toph and Aang. Whenever Gregor had come home on leave during The War, he would tell Dreo great stories of the heroic Earthbenders that he had fought against with his battalion in the Earth Kingdom. Dreo had come to admire the Earthbenders for their bravery and courage in the face of adversity, and their unbreakable will to stand their ground against all foes, even to the point of certain death. "She's the greatest Earthbender in the world. If you want to learn from the best, she's the one." A dreamy look came over his face as he said, "She's so powerful, graceful, strong-willed…"

Meigui chuckled and said slyly, "It seems to me that you are quite taken with Toph." Dreo's face immediately turned bright red and he looked down shyly at his tea cup with a seemingly new-found interest. Everyone at the table laughed at Dreo's reaction, causing his blush to redden even more. Meigui smiled and said, "I'm sure Toph would be more than happy to teach me. Thank you for your suggestion, Dreo." The Airbender looked up at Meigui and gave her a timid smile in return. Turning her attention back to the group, she said, "I'm actually from the port city of Luoshi. My family and I lived there during The War. My father was an Earthbending Captain in the Earth Kingdom's Army, while my mother was a seamstress in the city. I had a little sister named Meimei who was six years younger than me." A sad look entered Meigui's green eyes as she said, "Two years before the end of The War, we got a letter from a messenger…my father had died in a battle with Fire Nation soldiers." Everyone looked at Meigui, understanding the pain of losing a loved one to war. She was fighting back her tears as she remembered that day when a part of her died along with her father. Katara put a comforting hand on Meigui's shoulder, a look of compassion on her tan face.

"Your daddy must have been really nice," said Sun Tzu suddenly, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. The Fire Nation Prince was usually quiet around others, always preferring the company of his parents and great-Uncle in his relatively young age. A glimmer of maturity shone in his little amber eyes as he said innocently, "You wouldn't be so sad about your daddy dying if you didn't love each other…so he must have been a good daddy." Even Mai was taken aback by her young son's words, for they sounded like those of a child much older than him.

Meigui started at Sun Tzu in disbelief, stunned by what the little boy had said. A look of sad gladness entered her eyes as she smiled fondly and said, "He was a great daddy…and I loved him very much. Before he went off to war, he told me that he was proud to have me as a daughter. I just wish I could see him again…" Her eyes grew misty, and she hastily wiped away the tears that were forming.

Trying to cover up her sadness, she said, "The message also said that he had killed dozens of Firebenders and Fire Nation warriors before he was slain. About a month after his death, a group of Fire Nation came to Luoshi looking for revenge on my father. They knew where we lived, having had spies inform them of our location in the city. One night they knocked on our door, and when my Mom answered it…" She hesitated for a moment, as if the memory of what happened that night was too painful for her. Finally, she said "…their leader took out his sword and stabbed her in the chest." A tear fell down her face as she said, "The sword stuck out of her back, slick with her blood…then the man took the sword out and pushed her body to the floor. Meimei and I saw this happen, and she began screaming. A Firebender stepped through the door…and shot her with a ball of fire." The tears now flowed down her face and her voice cracked with grief as she said, "I can still hear her screaming in pain…the horrible, wretched screaming of a dying girl…I can still feel the heat from the flames consuming her as she fell dead to the floor. She was only eight years old…and the Fire Nation burned her alive." Hatred almost seemed to seep into her voice as she thought of how the Fire Nation soldiers viciously murdered her family. She angrily squeezed the tea cup in her hands, as if she were imagining that she were strangling the men who took her family away.

An uneasy tension hung in the air, as if everyone was waiting for Meigui to explode out of her anger at the Fire Nation. Even Mai was on edge, holding Sun Tzu closer to her out of maternal instinct. Meigui calmed down a bit and said, "After they had killed my sister, I ran to the back of the house. I could hear them chasing me the whole way as they tried to kill me. I gave them the slip and jumped out through my bedroom window. I ran until I got to the forest. When I looked back, my house was engulfed in flames." Glistening tears poured forth like raindrops as her sadness was laid out for all to see. Her heart ached as she remembered seeing her childhood home burned to the ground by the ruthless Fire Nation. "I was only fourteen years old…and I had already lost all of my family. I had nowhere to go, so I traveled to Ba Sing Se. I thought I could start a new life there. After three months of crossing the Earth Kingdom, I finally arrived at Ba Sing Se, and I've been living here ever since. Twelve years on my own…" She finished her tale, leaving everyone in amazement and awe of her.

"That's incredible…" said Katara in admiration, but a sad look came across her face. "I know what it feels like to lose a family member," she said eloquently, and Meigui looked at Katara with a questioning look. Taking her hand off Meigui's shoulder, she put a reverent hand to her necklace. "This necklace was given to me by my mother when I was a little girl. She died in a Fire Nation raid when I was just eight years old." Grief began creeping into her soul as she remembered that horrible day, and years later how she had sworn never to forgive the man that killed her mother.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Katara," said Meigui sympathetically. "Family members are always the hardest to lose. They love and support us no matter what happens in our lives, and they dry our tears when we're sad." Sorrow came into her voice as she said, "We always cry the most when our beloved family members die in front of our eyes." She paused as the two women shared their grief with one another.

"When I was the general of the Fire Nation Army during The War," said Iroh solemnly, "I lost my only son, Lu Ten, at the 600 Day Siege of Ba Sing Se. I was crushed when I saw his lifeless body before me. I almost lost the will to live, but I continued living…in memory of my son. That is why I see the world in a different light, a world full of love and life. I live life to the fullest every day, as a tribute to Lu Ten." He paused as he sipped his tea, and then said, "This war has left everyone scarred, and it will take a long time for those wounds to heal. We've all lost loved ones, no matter who we are or where we're from, and every nation has felt the sting of war and death for 100 years. While the poison of hatred and anger towards the Fire Nation has weakened over the last decade, it is still potent in some parts of the world." Everyone nodded in agreement with Iroh's wisdom. He held up his tea cup in a toast and said proudly, "To the success of driving out the Dai Li, and to the hope of world peace…so that we may all live in happiness once again." The others joined in his toast, holding their own cups up. "Cheers," he said merrily, and drank his tea while the others followed his example.

* * *

><p>Aang continued to move the earth in front of their group with a thrust of his arms, slowly making their way into the underground of Ba Sing Se. The tunnel he was excavating was large enough for all of them to stand comfortably, and Gregor provided illumination with a fire in his hand. The craggy rocks surrounded them on all sides of the circular tunnel. Aang knew the way to the Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se, but they were further away than the last time 10 years ago. He relied on his seismic senses to help guide him. From behind him, he heard a very irritated Sokka grumble, "I'm still mad at you for kicking me, Toph." Aang rolled his eyes, annoyed at how childish Sokka could be sometimes.<p>

"Man up, Snoozles," said Toph bluntly, blowing her bangs out of her face. "You'll get a lot worse from the Dai Li. Remember what Long Feng did to Jet 10 years ago?" Instantly, the minds of Aang, Sokka, and Toph flashed through their memories until they all came upon the memory of Long Feng killing Jet after Aang had broken his brainwashing. The memory brought a bad taste to their mouths, a bitterness that they could not get rid of no matter how hard they tried. _At least Dreo won't end up like that_, thought Toph to herself.

"I know, I know," replied Sokka. "It's just that sometimes you REALLY get on my nerves. Anytime I try to be helpful-" he paused for a brief moment as the earth in front of Aang nosily retreated at the thrusts of his arms "-YOU always have to try to be sarcastic or criticize me. Just because I'm not a bender doesn't mean I can't be helpful to this group. I don't know why you can't get that through your thick, dirt-covered skull!" As he was saying this, he had turned towards Toph and started angrily poking her head. The blind Earthbender grabbed the intruding finger and bent it backwards, eliciting a squeal of pain from Sokka. Aang, Zuko, and Gregor stopped and turned around to watch the scene unfold.

"Listen to me carefully, Sokka," seethed Toph, and Sokka's eyes widened. Whenever Toph didn't use her nicknames, she was dead serious about what she had to say. "While you are an asset to our team, you can be a supremely humongous idiot. That's why I act that way around you." Bringing her face closer to Sokka's, she whispered, "Never touch me like that again, or you'll find yourself on the receiving end of an Earthbending bruising. Do I make myself clear?" Bending his finger back even further, another squeal escaped from Sokka's lips. He nodded fearfully, not wanting to receive any more punishment from Toph. The blind Earthbender smiled cheerily and pleasantly said, "Good." She released his finger and patted him on the head like an Arctic Seal-Turtle. She walked in front of him and the group continued on their way.

_Stupid girls…_ thought Sokka to himself in annoyance as they walked on. _Stupid Toph…stupid Dai Li…stupid tunnel…stupid rocks…stupid_ – "Gah!" Everyone looked back to see that Sokka had fallen through the floor of the tunnel that had collapsed underneath him, light pouring through the open hole. Gregor snuffed his hand-held fireball as the group made their way to the hole. When they looked down, they could see that he had fallen a short distance before hitting the ground. Green crystals surrounded his landing site, and the Water Tribe Warrior was rubbing his behind with a pained look on his face. Looking back up, he called out "I'm fine. Stupid floor gave way…" his voice faltered as he looked around him, his eyes widening in surprise. "Guys…" he said distantly, "I think I found the Crystal Catacombs."

When they all had jumped down the hole, they could see that Sokka was right. Before them was a large cavern…in fact, the very same cavern that Aang, Katara, Azula, and Zuko had fought in ten years ago. Where they were standing was on the far side of the cavern, a good distance away from the center. "Wow…" said Toph in amazement. "This place is BIG…I could get used to this," she continued with a small smile. "I guess Ba Sing Se isn't so bad after all," she said with a shrug. They made their way down the small hill where Sokka had landed. Gregor and Sokka looked around in amazement at the sheer size of the cavern, taken in by its natural beauty and glowing green crystals.

Aang and Zuko, however, saw something else as they looked around. This was the site of Zuko's betrayal against Iroh, Aang, and Katara during the Coup of Ba Sing Se. Aang looked over at the Fire Lord and saw that his shoulders were hunched, clearly haunted by his regret for what had happened that day. As the group made their way to the middle of the cavern, Aang looked up at the ceiling and was surprised to see a scorched crater embedded in the rock. He knew that this was the result of the arcing electricity from Azula's near-fatal lightning strike on him, and the scar on his back began to burn. Tears came to his eyes as he thought, _If Katara hadn't been there to save me…I wouldn't be here, and the world would have been a much different place._ Extending his thoughts to his wife, he silently said, _Thank you, Katara…for everything_. He made a mental promise to himself to give her that thanks in person whenever he got back.

They all stood in the center of the chamber, the roaring of the waterfall at the end of the cavern pounding in their ears. "Now what?" asked Gregor. "We've made it this far, but none of us know where the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness is. We can't just expect to keep going until we just happen to fall upon it." Looking at Sokka, he added, "No offense." Sokka shrugged nonchalantly, as if he had intended to fall into the Crystal Catacombs. Turning his attention back to the group, he asked, "But what are we going to do when we actually find the Dai Li down there?"

"When we do find the Chasm," replied Aang, "we're going to fight off the Dai Li…force them to retreat from Ba Sing Se and never come back. If we can prevent them from taking any of the Death Rubies with them, we'll have at least accomplished one of our goals. We also need to make sure that the Chasm is completely destroyed so that the Dark Legion can't use it ever again."

"The Dark Legion's already grown more powerful with the addition of the Dai Li," said Zuko. "Back at the fortress, we faced both Firebenders and Waterbenders...now we know that Earthbenders have joined their cause. My guess is that the Dai Li will be their elite Earthbenders, with Long Feng as their most powerful. That being said, we all have to be extremely careful. They wouldn't hesitate to kill us all…they're ruthless and aggressive. After ten years in hiding, I'm sure they've improved their skills immensely. Be prepared for anything." Everyone nodded in agreement with Zuko.

Toph did her thing and stooped down to the ground, placing her hands on the floor to extend her senses. Several tense moments passed by as the others watched her scrunch her eyebrows in concentration. After almost five minutes, she smiled in victory. "Got it," she stated. "There's a massive cavern…I'd have to say almost three or four times as large as the one we're in now…about five miles below us." She paused as she tried to sense any other details, but she sighed and said, "That's all I can feel, even with my advanced abilities." Directing her attention towards Aang, she said, "It'll take us too long to get there if we tunnel normally. I suggest that we create a drop shaft that extends all the way down into the cavern."

"Are you crazy?" shouted Sokka in disbelief. "We would all go _SPLAT!_ as soon as we hit the bottom!" He paused and said, "Except for you, Aang…you'd probably just use Airbending to save yourself…" The scruffy Water Tribe man rubbed his chin as he thought about what he said. His face suddenly lit up, as if he had a stroke of genius. "I've got it!" he exclaimed happily as he snapped his fingers. "We can all drop down into the shaft, and before we hit the bottom Aang can cushion our landing with a big ball of air or something. He can be all like _Whoosh! _and _Foof!_" He said this last part while making ridiculous arms gestures as he swirled around and made absurd 'Airbending' noises.

Everyone looked at Sokka as if he was crazy, which they already knew that he was. Toph pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, saying, "That's what I going to suggest before you interrupted me." Sokka stopped swirling, letting his arms fall to his sides. His face flushed with embarrassment as a stupefied look came over his face.

"Right…" he said awkwardly. "I knew that," he scoffed, trying to cover up for his embarrassment. "That's why I finished your thought for you. Saves you the trouble of having to say so." Everyone present groaned at Sokka's antics, and in their minds they knew that he was never going to change.

"Whatever," muttered Toph. "Let's get to work, Aang." The Avatar nodded, and the two stood across from each other. They stomped hard with their right feet, and slid their left feet off to the side. They thrust downward with their palms, and a large hole excavated itself in front of them. "Jump in, everyone," commanded Toph. "Next stop: Dai Li Butt-Kicking Central!" Aang jumped in first, followed by Zuko and Gregor. Sokka hesitated once more at the mouth of the hole. Toph shouted, "Ladies first!" and kicked him in the butt again.

"AHHHHHH!" screamed Sokka as he fell into the dark abyss. Toph laughed and followed him down, seemingly unafraid of being disconnected from the ground. The wind howled past their ears as they fell rapidly through the darkness. They fell for what seemed like an eternity, Sokka screaming the whole way down. As they descended, they could see the green crystals around them gradually disappear. After several more moments, Aang could feel the air pressure change as they neared the bottom. Twirling his staff in front of him, he created a large cushion of air that slowed their fall. Weightlessness took hold of the group, and they gently landed on their feet at the bottom of the shaft…everyone except for Sokka who landed a bit harder than the others…and on his face. "Oww!" he cried out in pain as he hit the ground. He stood up and shouted, "All of you are crazy! And you!" He said this as he pointed at Toph. "Stop kicking me!"

"It's too hard to resist," laughed Toph, causing Sokka to turn bright red with anger. Toph stopped laughing after a moment and said, "Guys…I think you should see what I'm feeling right now." Sokka's face returned to its normal color, and they all looked around. They were on a ledge at the mouth of a massive cavern, the ceiling about 1000 feet above them. The cavern floor stretched out as far as the eye could see, leaving a vast ocean of rock in front of them. They jumped down from their perch and made their way into the center of the cavern. As they looked around, they could see small, red jewels embedded everywhere in the rock floor and walls. Many of the jewels ranged in size from no bigger than a finger to ones the size of a large building.

Aang stooped down and picked a medium-sized one up, examining the crystal in his hand. His eyes widened as he realized that this was the same kind of jewel that was in the pommel of Azula's knife. He could feel the darkness within the jewel, a swirling vortex of potent energy that called out to him. It was if the jewel wanted him to consume it, to take on all of its powers. He quickly dropped the jewel as if it were a deadly poison. "Death Rubies…" he whispered fearfully. "Guys…" he said nervously, causing everyone to turn and look at him. "I think this is the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness," he said, his fear continuing to grow.

"You are correct in your assumption, Avatar," calmly said a dark voice in front of them. The group whipped their heads around to see a lone figure in the shadows. Everyone immediately took their fighting stances, extremely wary of the newcomer. A pair of bright green eyes peered out the darkness, gleaming with a sinister light. The figure took a step towards them, and the illumination provided by the Death Rubies revealed the figure to be none other than Long Feng. He was dressed in very much the same style of clothing he had ten years before, but his clothes were completely black and where the green used to be was a dark shade of purple. He had a few streaks of gray in his hair, but he still looked as evil as he did a decade ago.

"Long Feng?" said Aang in disbelief. The others looked just as surprised to see Long Feng as Aang was. However, they didn't let their guard drop for even a second. Even on his own, Long Feng was a powerful Earthbender. Toph tried extending her senses in order to detect other Dai Li agents, but she couldn't seem to locate them. She silently cursed to herself, thinking that the Dai Li had found a way of hiding themselves from her Earthbending senses.

Long Feng smiled cruelly and said, "I am pleased to see that you still remember who I am after all of this time." He chuckled and said, "I see you decided to bring some of your friends with you. They will be of no help to you." He held his hand out and levitated a Death Ruby in front of him. Bringing his hand closer to him, he carefully floated the jewel just above his fingertips. "Ironic, isn't it?" he asked thoughtfully. "Such a pretty little jewel, and yet it contains dark powers beyond your wildest imaginations." The redness of the jewel lit up Long Feng's face, giving him the appearance of being covered in blood.

"Enough!" barked Gregor, fists extended outwards in his fighting stance. "Why are you here?" Looking up and down Long Feng, he added, "Judging by the look of your clothing, I would have to say that you've joined forces with the Dark Legion. Why?" Everyone kept their attention on Long Feng, waiting for him to make a move. The evil Earthbender just looked at the floating Death Ruby in front of him, contemplating it as one would a scroll or manuscript.

"Ah, yes…the infamous High-General Gregor of the Fire Nation," mused Long Feng. "I've heard quite a bit about you. They say you're a master Firebender who utilizes techniques from all four bending styles in your Firebending." He paused, letting the Death Ruby fall into his hand. "And yet…you haven't found a woman to call your own. Or am I wrong to assume so?" He chuckled and said, "So tell me about this Meigui girl you've become friends with…"

"Shut up!" shouted Gregor, and he shot a fireball at Long Feng. The dark Earthbender stood calmly and smiled, obviously unafraid. A rock wall suddenly jutted up in front of Long Feng, blocking the attack. A look of surprise came across Gregor's face, for he didn't see Long Feng use any bending. The group looked around, seeing that Dai Li agents had appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them. There were at least thirty of them, all dressed in the standard black and purple of the Dark Legion. The rock wall in front of Long Feng retracted, revealing the leader of the Dai Li once more.

"It seems I've touched a nerve," said Long Feng, a slight hint of amusement in his voice. "You seem in total control of your emotions until her name is brought up. I wonder why that is?" An evil smile crept across Long Feng's face and he coldly said, "It would be a shame if anything should happen to her…"

"You will not touch her!" shouted Gregor at the top of his lungs. "I swear on my honor that if you harm even a single hair on her head, I will personally end you," he said in a threatening tone of voice. Zuko shuddered at the tone in Gregor's voice, for it reminded him of how Katara had threatened him when he had first joined Team Avatar. The aggressive side of Gregor was rearing its ugly head, and Long Feng might be the first one to experience it first-hand.

"I'm sure you would," said Long Feng calmly. "But to answer your question, my men and I are here to extract these Death Rubies for the Emperor of Darkness. You see…these jewels are of great importance to our Emperor, and we can't have anyone interfering in our operation."

"We know all about the Death Rubies," said Aang, "and that's why we're here to destroy all of them and drive you out of Ba Sing Se. What has the Emperor offered you that has caused you to side with him?" Long Feng started laughing manically, as if what Aang had asked was completely absurd.

"Still as blind as ever, Avatar," chuckled Long Feng. "The Emperor has offered me complete control of Ba Sing Se as a reward for helping him conquer the world. My men and I have sworn our undying allegiance to him, and we will crush those who oppose him." To emphasize his point, he crushed the Death Ruby in his hand until it was nothing but red dust. "You cannot stop the coming darkness, Avatar. His shadow has already stretched to the far corners of the earth, even to places considered a secret from the rest of the world."

Aang's eyes widened as Long Feng said this. _Does this mean that they know about the Airbenders living in Gufeng?_ he thought to himself. _No…that's impossible. There's no way the Emperor could have that kind of information, and no Air Nomad would ever join his dark cause._ He pointed his staff at Long Feng and said, "Leave this place at once. Abandon your operation and destroy all Death Rubies that you have harvested." But Long Feng started laughing at Aang's demands, and the Avatar took up his fighting stance once more.

"I'm afraid that I must disincline to acquiesce your request, Avatar," grimly replied Long Feng. Signaling to his men, he shouted, "Dai Li, attack the Avatar and his companions! Leave none alive! For the Emperor!" Long Feng launched himself forward and punched the ground, sending a wave of earth hurtling towards Team Avatar. Aang snapped his staff into glider mode and flew away, while Zuko and Gregor dodged to either side. Sokka ran towards the Dai Li agents just behind them, while Toph stood her ground against Long Feng's attack. She stooped low and, raising her right foot and arm, jutted a stone pillar out of the ground. The earthen pillar stopped Long Feng's attack in his tracks, and she turned her attention to the Dai Li agents around them.

Six Dai Li agents had surrounded Toph and shot their rock gloves at her. She listened for the incoming projectiles and expertly blocked each and every one with swift hand blocks. The agents raised themselves up on rock pillars and shot out jutting slabs of rock at Toph in an attempt to pin her down. She dodged each slab and ran up to each pillar, taking each out with cupped hand strikes. The Dai Li agents fell to the ground, and she sent out jutting pillars with chopping motions of her hands. The agents were sent flying as they were hit, and the blind Earthbender smiled to herself.

Sokka engaged a group of four Dai Li agents, expertly slicing through the rock gloves sent flying at him. The agents raised several Death Rubies from the ground and shot them at Sokka. He quickly dodged in and out of the deadly jewels, and cut through those he couldn't dodge. He made his way to the Dai Li agents and knocked out one out with the pommel of his sword. He sent another one reeling backwards as he parried a fist strike. He kicked a third in the chest and sent him flying backwards. "You wanna go, pal?" asked Sokka menacingly to the fourth Dai Li agent. "I got mad skills, like this! HYAH!" he shouted as he ran towards the agent. The Dai Li agent stood his ground and thrust downward with his right hand. Suddenly, Sokka felt himself pulled underground. He was up to his waist in earth, but he tried swinging at the agent with his sword. The agent made himself new rock gloves and shot them at Sokka's arms, pinning them as well. "Oh boy," Sokka muttered nervously as the agent raised a rock over his head for the final blow. Sokka closed his eyes as he braced himself.

A flying blur kicked the rock out from above Sokka's head while a gust of wind blew the Dai Li agent away. When Sokka opened his eyes, he saw Aang and Gregor standing over him. Sokka sighed in relief and said, "Man, am I glad to see you guys." He struggled against his earth bindings without success. "Umm…a little help here?" Aang nodded and stomped with his foot while raising his staff upward. Sokka's earth bindings were shattered and he shot up out of the ground, back on his feet. He patted Aang on the shoulder and said, "Good job, kid." Looking behind the Avatar, his eyes widened and he shouted, "Look out!" He pushed Aang out of the way as a rock hit the Water Tribe Warrior in the chest and sent him flying. He landed about ten feet away, looking dazed and stunned from the attack. _I'm having the worst kind of luck today_, thought Sokka to himself.

Aang and Gregor looked behind them to see Long Feng with his fist extended, the culprit behind the attack. He was surrounded by a group of ten Dai Li agents, hands raised in preparation for battle. Aang and Gregor took up their battle stances, and off to the sides of their vision they could see Toph holding off another group of five Dai Li agents and Zuko holding off another five agents with his Firebending. "Give up, Avatar," ordered Long Feng. "You're completely surrounded with no hopes of escape. Surrender now, and I can assure you that your deaths will be quick and painless."

"We'll never give up, Long Feng!" shouted Gregor in reply. He stomped with his foot and punched upward with his fist, and a wave of fire raced towards Long Feng and his Dai Li agents. Gregor launched himself forward and made a sweeping motion with his arms, fire sprouting out of his arms in long whips. Long Feng blocked Gregor's first attack with a wall of earth, then jumped over his defense to attack them. Aang jumped off the ground using Airbending and jabbed his staff in front of him, shooting air out of the tip. Long Feng was hit by the air and was sent flying backwards as Gregor swept fire over the Dai Li agents. Several of the enemy agents were burnt by Gregor's fire whips, and these agents fled before his onslaught. Gregor swept his arms down and around him, as if he were streaming water. Instead, he streamed the flames around his body and sent his fire towards the remaining agents. The resulting fireballs slammed into the agents, knocking them to the ground. Aang blew these men up and away with a small tornado from his staff.

Zuko shot several fireballs at his Dai Li agents, who managed to dodge them. He launched a series of kicks at them in hopes of driving them back, fire blazing from his feet. Two agents were hit by this string of attacks and went down, while the others shot rocks at Zuko. The Fire Lord easily melted the incoming projectiles and swept with his foot, sending fire racing along the ground. He managed to burn their feet, sending them reeling back in pain. Zuko smiled to himself, but was hit from behind by a rock glove. He turned and saw more agents coming towards him. He raised his arms up to their fighting position, but a small earthquake and rock pillars sent the Dai Li agents flying. Zuko looked to his right and saw Toph standing there with her arms raised. "I guess even you need help sometimes, right Sparky?" she chuckled. Zuko smiled, and the two made their way towards the center where they met up with Aang, Gregor, and Sokka (who had recovered from being hit by Long Feng's rock).

"We're kicking their butts!" exclaimed Sokka joyfully. "This is too easy!" Suddenly, another group of thirty Dai Li agents appeared from underground and reinforced Long Feng and his agents, totaling about fifty or so agents that now surrounded Team Avatar. Their hearts fell as they saw the massive force before them, and they took up their fighting stances once more. "The Universe just looooves proving me wrong, doesn't it?" shouted Sokka in dismay.

"You make it too easy," bluntly replied Toph, earning her a dirty look from Sokka.

Everywhere Aang looked, all he saw were Dai Li agents with raised hands. The situation seemed hopeless. _How can we defeat this many Dai Li agents?_ thought Aang to himself. He remembered the same thing happening in the Crystal Catacombs ten years ago, when the Dai Li severely outnumbered him and Katara. He saw Long Feng step forward from the group of Dai Li agents, a malicious smile across his face. Aang knew he had to do something. They had to destroy the Chasm and all the Death Rubies while at the same time driving the Dai Li out of Ba Sing Se. An idea sprung into his mind, and he grinned to himself. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he opened them his eyes and tattoos were glowing white.

"What are you doing?" hissed Long Feng. He gasped and whispered, "The Avatar State…" He shook his head and shouted, "No! I will not allow you to destroy this place! You do not have the power to destroy the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness AND all of the Death Rubies we have harvested!"

"I DO HAVE THE POWER," replied Aang in a chorus of ten thousand voices, the energy of all the past Avatars surging through him. He pointed his staff at Long Feng and said, "LEAVE THE CITY OF BA SING SE AT ONCE, AND NEVER COME BACK. YOU AND YOUR DAI LI AGENTS ARE NO LONGER WELCOME HERE. FLEE BACK TO THE DARK HANDS OF YOUR EMPEROR LIKE THE DOGS YOU ARE!" Before Long Feng could reply, Aang smashed his fists to the ground. Cracks and fissures raced out from under him and up the walls of the cavern. Death Rubies began to shatter, sprinkling red powder over them.

"Dai Li, abandon your posts!" frantically ordered Long Feng as the entire cavern shook. "Leave any harvested Death Rubies behind and retreat back to base!" Long Feng jumped slightly upwards and slid underground, while his agents followed suit. However, Aang wasn't finished with the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness.

"AVATAR KYOSHI BURIED THIS EVIL PLACE A LONG TIME AGO, BUT I WILL ENSURE THAT NO ONE EVER SEES THIS CAVERN AGAIN!" shouted Aang. He continuously stomped on the ground, jabbing his staff in different directions. Rocks began falling from the ceiling as the walls began to crumble under Aang's enhanced-Earthbending assault. "HOLD ON!" he shouted as he gathered up his friends in a pocket of air and shot upwards. As they flew upward, Aang shot a massive inferno of fire below him at the ground. As the flames hit the ground and walls, they exploded and blew apart the rocks and jewels. Even though they were in the air, they could all feel the Chasm shaking violently as the whole thing collapsed in on itself.

Soon they reached the collapsing ceiling, and Aang made his way to the front of their air bubble. He kicked out with his foot and smashed a hole through the ceiling. As they raced through the hole, a dust cloud and fire storm from the collapsing Chasm shot its way up after them. Sokka screamed at the sight of the pursuing cloud, which Aang blew away with a strong gust of air from his staff. They continued tunneling their way up as Aang quickly excavated the earth in front of them with strikes from his staff and feet, soaring through the underground like a hawk through the air. Miles of earth seemed to pass by them in a flash, and suddenly they broke out above ground about a mile from the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. Aang flew the air sphere far away from the exit hole as additional dust and fire violently shot up from the freshly-opened wound in the earth. They landed about three hundred feet from their exit, the dust and fire creating a huge mushroom cloud of destruction that extended over six hundred feet in the air.

Once they had landed, Aang dispersed the air bubble and gently deposited his friends on the ground. A violent earthquake shook the ground, but the Avatar quieted the rumbling earth with a punch of his fist. Creating a large breeze, he used his staff to suck the fire and dust back underground and sealed the escape hole with a stomp of his foot. He stood there panting for a moment as his friends looked on in amazement at him. "IT IS DONE," said Aang firmly, and he exited the Avatar State. When he turned to face his friends, he looked at Toph and asked, "Can you feel anything from down there?"

The blind Earthbender bent over and placed her hand on the ground. After a minute, she gasped and said, "It's all gone…the entire Chasm has been destroyed." She turned her head upwards and said in awe, "You really did it, Twinkle Toes…you destroyed the Chasm along with the Death Rubies AND you managed to drive out the Dai Li. They won't be coming back to Ba Sing Se anytime soon." She paused and added, "Niiiiice."

"Looks like Long Feng is LONG GONE…again!" shouted Sokka as he burst out in laughter, and everyone joined in with him despite how crummy his joke was. After Aang's awesome display of power in the Avatar State, they needed a release from the tension and stress. "Oh man!" exclaimed Sokka. He looked up and shouted, "Thank you, The Universe, for sending us this great guy right here!" As he said this, he wrapped his arm around Aang's shoulder. "We couldn't have done it without you, buddy," he said proudly, causing Aang to burst out in a smile.

Looking around them, Zuko sighed and said, "Looks like we're walking back to Ba Sing Se, thanks to Aang." He could see the Avatar's eyes drop in embarrassment, and the Fire Lord smiled. "I'm only joking," he said with a chuckle. "Nice work, Aang. You struck a major blow against the Dark Legion today." Aang's eyes returned to Zuko's face, and he smiled cheerily.

"We might as well get going," Gregor said. "It's pretty late in the day, and we don't want to keep the others waiting." They all noticed that the sun had dropped from its zenith in the sky and was well on its way down, indicating that it was late in the afternoon.

"Oh!" exclaimed Aang. "I could make an Air Scooter for all of us to ride on so we can get back faster!" He broke out in a big, tooth smile as everyone looked at him with exasperated looks on their faces.

"No!" they all shouted in unison. "No more bending today!" After what they had been through with Aang in his Avatar State, they needed a break from bending.

"Aww, come on!" whined Aang, and the others started walking off without him. "Fine!" he shouted, jogging to catch up with them. They all laughed, their bonds of friendship growing ever stronger as they continued their fight against the Dark Legion.

* * *

><p>"So, Long Feng," began Ryu with disgust in his voice, "let me see if what I'm hearing from you is correct: Not only was the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness completely destroyed by the Avatar, you failed to bring back any of the Death Rubies! You have also pulled all of your Dai Li agents out of Ba Sing Se as a result of your failure. Am I correct so far, Long Feng?" Black and purple flames began dancing around Ryu's throne of doom, casting a dark light upon the Emperor of the Dark Legion.<p>

Long Feng gulped nervously as he remained prostrated before his master. "Yes, my Emperor," he said in a low voice. "The Avatar was too powerful for us to handle, my Lord. Had he not gone into the Avatar State, we would have easily overwhelmed him and his friends."

"But you didn't!" shouted Ryu, dark flames shooting out his mouth. "Because of you, we have lost a powerful resource in our fight against the Avatar!" He stood up and angrily shouted, "Do you know how many of our troops we could have enhanced with those jewels? There were thousands of Death Rubies in that cave, enough to power an army that would have destroyed the Avatar with ease!" Ryu's anger reached a fever pitch, and black flames danced at his fingertips. Long Feng cowered in fear before his Emperor, waiting for his punishment to come. Ryu suddenly calmed himself, and the dark flames subsided. "Get out of my sight…and await further orders," he commanded. The Earthbender slowly got up, remaining bowed towards his master as he exited the dark throne room.

Ryu sat back in his evil throne and muttered, "This is only a minor setback in my ultimate plan to rid the world of the Avatar once and for all." He thought for a moment, then shouted, "Kongju!" The evil Firebender presented himself before the Emperor, kneeling in front of the throne. "Contact our allies in Wu Long Forest and tell them that the Avatar will be arriving soon to convince the Airbenders to join his cause," ordered Ryu, and Kongju nodded and left to carry out his order. "The winds of change are coming, Avatar," said Ryu to himself. "Soon even your own people will turn against you!" He began laughing manically as black flames danced around his throne of doom once more.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Journey to Wulong Forest

I'm back once again, and now things begin to quiet down. This chapter is more for filler than anything else, but I still had fun writing it. :) I hope you all enjoy it. Read and review! We're over halfway done! :D

I know, I'm a terrible liar. I said I wouldn't upload this chapter until Twelve was done, but I decided to go for it anyway. You better be happy, you ungrateful cretains! Just kidding. :P Anyways...enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Eleven: Journey to Wu Long Forest**

The Fire Lord watched from the front of the Jasmine Dragon as the morning sun rose over Ba Sing Se. He smiled as he felt its first rays of warmth hit his face, reigniting his inner fire after the cold respite of the night. He drew in a deep breath, and exhaled just as deeply. After the events of yesterday, it felt good to relax for a short while before their next adventure. He thought about the power Aang had demonstrated in his Avatar State against the Dai Li. _It still amazes me that Aang has that much power hidden inside of him with just the normal Avatar State…but the Dark Avatar State would be much more fearsome than what Aang did yesterday_. He shuddered at the thought of the black glow enveloping the Avatar, the glow that would signify the death of Katara. He prayed to Agni hoping that day would never come.

"Good morning, Zuko!" cheerily said Aang as the Fire Lord turned to look at him. "What a wonderful day to be alive!" he said ecstatically as he stretched his weary and sore muscles. "Don't you agree, Sifu Hotman?" Zuko groaned at Aang's nickname for him, but in the end he gave the Avatar a friendly smile.

"I agree with you, Aang," replied Zuko earnestly. He chuckled as Aang took his side by him and said, "You certainly seem to be in a good mood this morning. Did Katara give you lots of loving kisses last night?" He winked at Aang, whose face flushed bright red at Zuko's teasing. The Fire Lord coughed to clear his throat and said in his best Katara voice, "Oh, Aang…you're soooo strong! Come to me, my love! Give your wife lots of kisses." He closed his eyes, puckered up his lips and made kissing noises as Aang's blush deepened and his face went blank with embarrassment. Zuko burst out laughing at the sight of Aang's face, and the Avatar playfully punched Zuko in the arm.

"Stop that," said Aang, his voice completely washed over with embarrassment. "Katara's not like that…but I bet Mai's that way with you," he countered mischievously. He put on his best Mai impersonation and said glumly, "Zuko, I'm bored. Let's steal away somewhere and make out." He pretended to throw a knife at an imaginary target, and the two men burst out laughing at their own absurdity. They kept laughing for several minutes, and even Aang could hardly breathe as he hunched over in his laughter. The two men slowly came out of their merriment, wiping away the wetness of happy tears that had seeped into their eyes. "Anyways," chuckled Aang, "the REAL reason why I'm in such a good mood is that we finally get to leave Ba Sing Se today."

Zuko nodded in agreement and started to say something, but at that moment he was interrupted by a sharp cry from above. Aang and Zuko looked up to see a messenger hawk flying towards them, its red feathers glistening in the morning light. Zuko held out his arm and the hawk perched on his arm. He then opened the letter container on its back and opened it with his free hand. After a minute of reading, his face lit up with a smile. "Aang, do you remember how after we talked with King Kuei we sent out a message to the Water Tribes asking for their support in fighting against the Dark Legion?"

"Yeah," replied Aang. "I know that we already have the Earth Kingdom's support, and you told me that we also have the support of the Fire Nation." He raised an eyebrow inquisitively and asked, "What's your point?" Zuko handed him the letter to read, and Aang skimmed over the characters written on the scroll. After a minute, his face lit up with joy. "Chiefs Arnook and Hakoda have agreed to lend us their support!" he exclaimed happily as he jumped for joy (in his case he jumped over ten feet in the air, much to Zuko's surprise). As he landed, he breathlessly said, "This…this is wonderful news! Now we've got the support of three of the four nations against the Dark Legion!"

"Don't forget that there are also benders and warriors from each of those nations that have joined the Dark Legion," said Zuko in a deadpan. "We'll only have the support of the benders and warriors who are still on our side. With the Dark Legion drawing in more recruits…it could be a tougher fight than we can imagine." He paused for a moment, letting the seriousness of the situation sink into Aang's skull. "Are you sure the Air Nomads will join our cause, or even fight if they do? I know your people are strong in their ways of nonviolence."

"I know," said Aang, "but our nonviolent ways don't lead us into a sense of apathy when innocent lives are at stake. Given the circumstances, an Air Nomad will fight to protect their own life even if it means taking the life of another. I know I was conflicted ten years ago when I fought your father, but I was young and didn't really understand the difference between being an Air Nomad and being the Avatar." He paused as he licked his lips to moisten them, then said, "When I was on the Lion-Turtle, Avatar Yangchen told me that I had to sacrifice my own spiritual freedom to do my duty as the Avatar and protect the world. If I had the choice of killing the Emperor to protect the world or finding a non-violent way to stop him, I would try the non-violent approach first. But if I had no choice, I would kill the Emperor without hesitation."

Zuko was surprised to hear such confidence in Aang's voice when it came to this matter of life and death. Usually when it came to the issue of violence versus nonviolence, Aang was very adamant in his peaceful ways. "Saying you can kill someone and actually committing the act are two completely different things," said Zuko wisely as he took the letter back and slightly burned it so that the Fire Nation seal appeared on it, showing that the message had been received by him. He rolled the letter up and stuffed it back into the container on the hawk's back. He lifted his arm up and watched as the magnificent bird flew off to the North.

The two watched as the hawk disappeared, and then Aang yawned. "Well," he said, "might as well start getting Appa ready to go. I think he's done enough lazing about for a while." The Avatar walked off in the direction of the warehouse where the bison and his lemur companion were staying at, leaving the Fire Lord alone with his thoughts. _I can't wait to see my people again!_ excitedly thought Aang to himself as he walked along, a bright smile on his face.

* * *

><p>One hour later, Appa stood outside the tea shop with his saddle attached to his back. Momo was in the saddle, chattering to himself as he ran back and forth on the bison's back. Team Avatar stood outside the tea shop saying their goodbyes to Iroh. Aang and Katara were the first ones to say goodbye. Iroh gave the Avatar a warm hug and said, "Good luck, Aang. I know you will do what is best for the world. Make us all proud."<p>

"I will, Iroh," replied Aang as he detached from the hug. "But after this is all over, we're all coming back for a round of victory tea." Both of the men chuckled.

"I have no doubts about that," said Iroh happily. He then gave Katara a friendly hug and said, "May the Spirits bless you and your baby. I know you will make a wonderful mother, and I know your child is fortunate to have parents like you and your husband."

"Thank you, Iroh," said Katara through misty eyes. She was going to miss the old man, for he was a very large part of their small family. The two detached from their hug, and Iroh then hugged Sokka and Suki in his arms.

"Be strong, my brave warriors," said Iroh proudly, "and let all of your worries and doubts about the future wash away." Sokka and Suki weren't sure how to respond to his statement, so they patted him on the back. Iroh then turned to Dreo and Toph, shaking both of their hands since they both weren't the hugging type when it came to goodbyes. "May the winds carry you to a happy future, and let the earth be stable under your feet," he said firmly. "Never forget your roots, and never forget each other."

"How could I possibly forget Dreo?" said Toph sarcastically. "He's practically attached to my hip." Dreo blushed at this, slightly embarrassed by what Toph said. He felt her fingers intertwine with his, and a smile appeared on his lips. "I actually kind of like him there," admitted Toph timidly as she also smiled and blushed slightly. Iroh chuckled at the young couple and made his way over to Meigui and Gregor.

"Learn well, my budding Earthbender," he said to Meigui, "for the earth will help you to find balance in your life…and if you wait and listen to others, they can help you past your own problems." Meigui nodded and bowed respectfully to Iroh. The Dragon of the West turned his attention to Gregor and said, "May the flames of your resolve never falter, and let the fire that burns deep inside our hearts be a beacon to the world so that they may know that there is good in the Fire Nation." The two men warmly embraced each other, and the old man turned his attention to the Fire Nation Royal Family as he detached from Gregor. He stooped down to Sun Tzu's level and affectionately hugged the young boy, who returned the embrace with a tight squeeze. "I will miss you, my little Firebender. Be a good boy for your mommy and daddy."

"I will, great-Uncle Iroh," sniffed the Fire Nation Prince, trying to keep his little tears back. Iroh chuckled at Sun Tzu's attempt to not cry and handed him back to Mai, who the old man also hugged and whispered in her ear, "Take care of my nephew." Mai smiled and nodded, and the two detached. He looked upon his nephew and said, "Last, but most certainly not least." The two Firebenders chuckled and warmly embraced each other. "I have nothing left to teach you, my boy. Go and make our nation proud. You've become a much wiser and greater man than I."

"Uncle," said Zuko, "you'll always be the wise man in my life. I could never match up to you. You're always going to be the man that's greater than me." They detached from their hug and Iroh put his hands firmly on his nephew's shoulders.

"Zuko," said Iroh, "being wise or all powerful does not make a man great. What makes a man great is what he does with the knowledge and power that is given to him, and that he uses those things for the good of others. You have always proven your worth to me, even during the time of your banishment from the Fire Nation. You did make mistakes, but you showed that through your own strength that you can redeem yourself. And it is because of this that I know the Fire Nation will once again live in peace and harmony with the rest of the world…all thanks to you, my boy." Zuko smiled at his Uncle's praise, and the old man patted the Fire Lord on the shoulder.

He walked away from the group and stood at the entrance of his tea shop, watching as everyone climbed aboard Appa. Aang took his position aboard the bison's head and took hold of the reigns, while everyone else settled into the saddle. "Goodbye, Iroh!" they all called out, waving goodbye to him. The old man smiled and returned the goodbye wave as Aang cried out "Yip yip!" and Appa took off with a thrust of his tail. Soon the massive white beast grew smaller in the distance, and Iroh dropped his arm back down by his side.

_Agni protect them all_, Iroh thought to himself. _The coming darkness will be much stronger than that of the fires of the Hundred Years' War. They will need each other to survive._ He hummed to himself. _Perhaps I could come out of retirement to help them plan a strategy to fight the Dark Legion when the time for the final battle comes._ But his thoughts were interrupted as he heard his tea pot whistling in the back of the tea shop, and he went to go pour himself a cup of Ginseng tea.

* * *

><p>Four hours after leaving Ba Sing Se, Team Avatar was about halfway to Wu Long Forest. They had all decided to land and rest for a while, perhaps even get a little training in before they met up with the surviving Air Nomads. Aang set Appa down on a small cliff which overlooked a valley completely covered with trees. As everyone disembarked from Appa, Aang assisted Katara using his Airbending to gently lower her to the ground. She winced slightly as she landed, the baby kicking the wall of her womb again. Aang noticed this and chuckled. "It seems that our little son has been acting up a lot more lately," he said with a smile.<p>

"Yeah," replied Katara with a smile, but a questioning look entered her blue eyes. "Hold on…what makes you think that our child is going to be a boy?" Aang may have been the Avatar, but even he couldn't tell whether an unborn child was male or female.

Aang shrugged and said, "My instincts tell me so." Katara burst out laughing at Aang's statement. "You don't believe me?" he asked. "I'll ask our baby myself." Leaning down, he placed his ear on Katara's stomach which caused her to giggle with delight. "Hey, little guy," he called out sweetly. "This is your daddy, Aang. Your mommy Katara is here too." The Waterbender chuckled at Aang's goofiness. "Are you a boy or a girl?" he asked in a soft voice, and he paused as if waiting for a response. Katara was struggling to contain her laughter at the sight of her husband listening to their baby. "Uh-huh…uh-huh…really?" said Aang at regular intervals, causing Katara to giggle slightly. He looked back up at his wife and announced with a big smile, "Yep, it's official. We're having a boy."

"Don't get your hopes up, Aang," chuckled Katara. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with having a girl as your first-born child." Aang stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she automatically wrapped her arms around his shoulders. A loving smile passed between the two of them. It was at times like these that they were reminded of just how strong their bond with each other was, despite all the ridiculous and goofy things that they did together.

"I know," said Aang lovingly, "but it doesn't hurt to have a son either. It would be much easier for me to relate with him than if we had a daughter first." Both of them chuckled, love binding their souls together. He touched his forehead to Katara's and said, "The baby told me that he would have my eyes and your hair color as well as a combination of our skin tones."

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" replied Katara in a cute voice, blushing slightly at the contact between their foreheads. She sighed and asked, "Have I ever told you how much I love you?" They leaned in closer to each other, lips mere inches from touching each other.

"Yeah," replied Aang dreamily, "but you could stand to mention it some more." Katara chuckled softly, and the two of them closed their eyes as their lips met in a kiss. The soft touch of their lips brought pleasure to both of them without the need to further deepen their exchange of love. Even the most gentle of kisses between them spoke volumes deep down in their souls.

"All right, you two!" shouted Toph teasingly from where the others were sitting and eating their lunch of fruit and bread. "You can break it up now! I swear, the amount of kissing you two do is enough to give anyone nightmares. You don't want to scar your kid for life before he's even out, do you?"

Husband and wife broke off their kiss as Aang turned to his Earthbending Sifu and shouted, "No, Toph, our kissing isn't going to 'scar' our child for life. And what makes you so sure that the baby's going to be a boy?"

"I can feel it, Twinkle Toes. Duh," replied Toph as she bit into a loaf of bread. Once she finished chewing and swallowed, she said, "I could tell your kid was a boy as soon as we rescued Katara from the Dark Legion fortress. I've been around enough pregnant women to know the difference between a baby boy and a baby girl." She paused for a second as if she were sensing something. "From what I can feel," she added, "it sounds like the little guy's healthy."

Aang and Katara started laughing with joy as they hugged each other affectionately at Toph's wonderful news. "We're having a boy!" Katara said excitedly, completely giddy at the revelation of their child's gender.

"This is so wonderful!" Aang said in agreement, and they kissed again. Once they separated from the kiss, he said, "We should get something to eat. You gotta keep up your strength for our son's sake." Katara rolled her eyes, but still smiled sweetly at her husband as they held hands and started to walk to where everyone else was sitting.

Dreo, who was sitting next to Toph, nudged her and whispered in her ear, "Can I talk to you in private?" Toph was taken aback a bit by his question, but she nodded. Both of them stood up and went into a grove of trees just behind their lunch site. They received strange looks from everyone present, but no one wanted to make a move to stop them. They all knew that Dreo and Toph wouldn't do anything dishonorable with each other, not after what had happened with Dreo being brainwashed by the Dai Li.

They came to a small sun-lit clearing after a short walk into the grove, and stopped under the warm rays of light. "What do you want, Dreo?" she asked, wanting to get straight to the point. "What's so important that you had to drag us out here?"

"Toph," he began, "do you remember how on our date, just before I was captured by the Dai Li, I told you that I had a present for you?" He began reaching in the folds of his robe, hands searching for that very same gift he had intended to give to her just days before. Toph nodded, clearly remembering that he had said that just after their first kiss. "Hold out your hands," he commanded, and she did so. She could feel him step forward as he pulled something out from his robe and placed an object in her hand. It felt cold and metallic, yet the touch of it was very familiar. Her eyes widened as she realized that this object was made out of same material as her space bracelet. The black meteorite material was in the shape of the symbol of Earthbending, and it was attached to a choker that was similar to the one Katara wore for her necklace, except this choker was green in color. "Where did you get this?" asked the blind Earthbender in amazement.

"While I was traveling in the Earth Kingdom searching for the Air Nomads," replied Dreo, "a meteorite fell from the sky one night and crashed about a mile from my campsite. When I got to the crash site, there was only a small chunk of the meteorite left. I took it to a blacksmith in the next village I entered and had it shaped into the symbol of Earthbending." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and said, "It seemed appropriate at the time, since I was in the Earth Kingdom and I had a strong admiration for Earthbenders."

Toph listened to Dreo's story, the whole time feeling to see if he was lying or not. His normal bodily functions didn't change in the slightest, indicating that he was telling the truth. "But why are you giving this to me?" she asked, confused. "I know we're together and all, but it's only been a few days."

"I know," replied Dreo. "I wanted to give you something to remember me by…in case we get separated." He reverently took the necklace out of her petite hands and asked, "May I?" Realizing that he wanted to put the necklace on her, she nodded and turned around. She felt his arms in front of her as he gently clasped the choker together on her neck. He let go the necklace, and she could feel the cold space material touch her warm skin. She turned around for Dreo to see how it looked, and he smiled at the sight of her. "It's beautiful…" whispered Dreo, "…and so are you." Before Toph could say anything, he leaned in and kissed her deeply on the lips. She didn't resist him, and they stood there for several moments exchanging the kiss. Once they had separated from the kiss, Dreo asked, "Do you like it?"

"Well," said Toph, "I do feel a little bit like Sugar Queen now because she wears a necklace too." Dreo's smile dropped off his face, and a slight frown appeared on his lips. Toph sensed this and smiled back at him, saying, "But I love it. Thank you." She stood on her tiptoes and pecked the Airbender on the lips, bringing the smile back to his young face.

"You're very welcome," he said happily. They stood there for a brief moment as the Airbender stroked Toph on the cheek. The blind Earthbender didn't flinch at the touch of his gentle hand, nor did she rebuke him. He had a loving touch, and she (for once) liked being doted upon by him. No other man had ever made her feel this way before, and she loved the way he made her feel.

"We should get back," she said softly, "before your brother thinks that you've 'stolen my honor' or something." Both of them chuckled, knowing how adamant Gregor was when it came to matters like that. They intertwined their fingers as they made their way back to the clearing where the others were at. Toph could feel the weight of her necklace, and she was glad that Dreo had given her something to remember him by. Suddenly thinking of something, she said, "Speaking of your brother, I need to train his new girlfriend on how to Earthbend." Dreo knew that she was referring to Meigui, and he chuckled. He had told Toph about Meigui's Earthbending abilities when she and the others had gotten back from fighting the Dai Li. He knew that Toph was eager to whip the red-headed woman into shape.

"You know," he said slyly, "they actually aren't together. They're just friends." Toph scoffed incredulously, which caused Dreo to laugh. They were silent the rest of the time as they walked back into the cliff clearing where the others were at.

"Well look who's back," said Sokka mischievously, causing everyone to turn and look at the returning couple. Sokka noticed Toph's new piece of jewelry, and he raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Where'd you get that?" he asked, as if it weren't completely obvious.

"Dreo gave it to her, Sokka," said Katara in a deadpan to her older brother. She turned her attention to Toph and her expression softened as a happy smile came across her face. "I think it's beautiful, Toph. It goes very nicely with your bracelet." Toph smiled and nodded in appreciation of Katara's words. Dreo's gaze landed on Gregor, whose golden eyes were carefully watching his younger brother. It was as if the Firebender's eyes were searching the Airbender for any signs of treachery against Toph. Dreo's stormy gray eyes suggested that no foul play took place, and the older sibling nodded in understanding. Gregor was glad that Dreo had presented a gift to Toph, but he usually wasn't one to wear his emotions on his face.

Toph let go of Dreo's hand and took a fighting stance, arms extended in front of her. "Meigui!" she shouted. "Think fast!" Toph stomped on the ground and uppercut-punched with her right arm, ripping a small chunk of rock from the ground. She struck the stone with her open left palm and sent it flying towards the novice Earthbender. Meigui's green eyes changed from surprised to serious in a flash, and she quickly jumped up in a fighting stance. Her legs were spread apart for support, and she punched out with her fist just as the flying projectile connected with her hand. She stopped the boulder dead in its tracks, earning surprised looks from everyone.

With a shout, Meigui punched with her other hand and sent the rock flying back to its owner. She then leaped forward and punched the ground, sending a rippling wave of earthen spires screaming towards Toph. Dreo got out of the way, not wanting to get in the middle of an Earthbender-brawl. Toph expertly split the rebounding rock in two, then raised her arms up to create a rock wall to block the second attack. She made several chopping motions with her hands, then thrust outward with her arm. The earth underneath began rolling into a wave, knocking Meigui back towards the precipice of the cliff. As Toph made her way over to her fallen opponent, the others watched from a safe distance with worry and concern. Meigui quickly jumped to her feet and, glancing behind her at the edge of cliff, jumped down the slope.

Toph followed her down, and now everyone gathered at the edge of the cliff to watch the battle continue. As they slid down, Meigui continuously shot rocks at Toph. The blind Earthbender waved her arms in front of her again and again, flashing a small wall of earth that rotated in front of her and blocked Meigui's attacks. The red-headed woman landed in a small clearing at the bottom of the cliff, and she stomped while pulling her arms down in a thrusting motion. The earth underneath Toph's feet began to crumble, but the blind Earthbender secured her foothold by twisting her feet and encasing them in rock. Raising her arms up, an earth pillar erupted below Meigui's feet and launched her back up to the top of the cliff. Toph ran up the hill, pushing the earth back with her feet for increased speed. Meigui quickly got back up and stomped with her foot, thrusting downward with her arms. A small avalanche of rocks started making their way towards the advancing blind Earthbender, and she was lost in a clutter of rocks and dirt. Everyone looked at Meigui in shock, and the red-headed woman smiled victoriously.

The earth erupted behind them and suddenly Meigui was spun around and encased up to her head in earth. Everyone turned to see a confidently smiling Toph standing there, not even scathed from her brawl with Meigui. Her opponent struggled to get out, but it was no use. There was no way out of this earthen prison. A gleam of admiration appeared in Gregor's eyes, perhaps something more than that. He could see that she was confident and head-strong, and yet extremely graceful in everything she did. No one noticed the blush on Gregor's face as Toph stooped down over Meigui. "Just a rookie Earthbender, huh?" said Toph unflinchingly. "Why don't you tell us the truth? You're better than Earthbending than you say, given what we just saw." Meigui averted her eyes in shame, cowed because Toph had seen through her ruse.

"All right," Meigui admitted in defeat. She sighed and said, "My father was the one who taught me how to be an Earthbender. He trained me from the first time I could throw a rock at the age of 3. He taught me everything I know…and I feel closer to him when I Earthbend. I lied about not being good at Earthbending because…because I didn't want to feel like I was undermining anyone. I admire both Toph and Aang for their amazing Earthbending skills…in comparison, my skills are nothing. So in actuality it was more like a half-truth. I thought if I joined you guys, Toph could teach me how to be a better Earthbender. But I guess I failed the test…" She bit her lip in frustration, angry that she couldn't beat Toph at her own game.

"Actually," Toph said, "you passed." She could feel Meigui's head turn up in surprise at her, clearly shocked by what Toph said. "By standing your ground against me, you showed me that you've got the attitude of a true Earthbender. Not only that, but you impressed me with your power, stances, and quick-thinking." She paused and added, "Your father taught you well, but I'll make you an even better Earthbender. I will take you on as my student." She stomped with the heel of her foot, causing Meigui to shoot up out of the ground. The two shook hands, and everyone burst out in applause of approval. "From now on, you are to refer to me as Sifu Toph. Do you understand, Pupil Meigui?" The two let go of each other's hands and stood staring at one another.

"Yes, Sifu Toph," replied Meigui as she bowed respectfully to her new master. Toph grinned to herself; she was going to enjoy making this woman a master Earthbender. She saw great potential in her, as if she had the spirit of a Badger-mole inside of her. "I won't let you down, Sifu Toph," said Meigui firmly as she came out of her bow. "I will train hard day and night so that I may become as great of an Earthbender as you."

"We'll see," said Toph. "Come with me. Your training starts as of this moment." Directing her attention to everyone else, she said, "As you were people. I've got some major work to do and I don't need Dreo gawking at me and Gregor drooling over Meigui as we're training." The two siblings, as well as Meigui, immediately blushed, causing everyone else to burst out in laughter. Once they stopped laughing, Toph and an embarrassed-looking Meigui started making their way back to their temporary campsite.

Everyone else began to leave too, until Gregor called out, "Aang and Zuko." The Avatar and the Fire Lord heard their names called and turned their heads to Gregor. "I need to show you two something. Everyone else can head on back." Zuko and Mai parted with a lasting look between their eyes, and Katara kissed Aang on the cheek before she left. The two husbands watched their wives go until they were out of sight, and then they turned to face Gregor. The three men stood calmly near the edge of the cliff, the gentle wind blowing around them. "As you two know," Gregor began, "we'll need a lot more skills in order to defeat the Dark Legion. That's why I want to teach both of you how to generate lightning." Aang and Zuko jumped in surprise, looked at each other in shock, and back to Gregor.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Zuko. "The last time I tried to generate lightning was ten years ago with my Uncle, and that didn't go so well." He grimaced as he remembered how his numerous attempts at lightning had, quite literally, blown up in his face.

"I've never even tried to generate lightning," said Aang nervously. "It's too violent and destructive of a technique for me to learn…and I'm afraid that if I use lightning I could kill someone. Isn't being able to redirect lightning enough?"

Gregor shook his head solemnly and replied, "Not if you want to defeat the Emperor. The leader of the Dark Legion will be very powerful, and he is most likely their most powerful bender. That being said, you both need to be able to generate lightning so you have an advantage in coming battles. Knowing this technique may mean the difference between life and death." He let this last part sink in, showing the two men before him just how serious he was about this.

After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, both Aang and Zuko nodded their approval. Gregor smiled and said, "Excellent. Let's get started." He paused for a moment, thinking of a way to teach the ways of lightning to the Avatar and the Fire Lord. "As you both know, there are two kinds of energy." Holding up his hand as he stated each, he said, "Positive and negative…yin and yang." Folding his arms behind his back, he said, "A select few Firebenders can separate these energies and guide their flow. During the time of separation, the two energies seek each other out in order to restore balance. The result of this energy imbalance is electricity, and when you bring those two energies crashing back together…" He motioned for Aang and Zuko to step back, which they did.

Turning to face the open sky, Gregor drew in a deep breath and gathered his concentration. He began moving his arms in a circular motion, and sparks danced at his fingertips. The electricity arced around his body, encircling him in a blue halo of pure energy. Aang and Zuko looked on in amazement as Gregor brought the tips of his index and middle fingers of each hand together, the electricity crackling around him. He held this pose for a brief moment, then stabbed out with his right hand. There was a great _BOOM!_ as a bolt of lightning shot out of his fingers and raced into the sky. The air became charged with energy, making every hair on their bodies stand on end. The bolt branched out, tendrils of power surging throughout the sky. Standing back up straight, Gregor turned to the two men and said, "This technique requires total concentration, peace of mind, absolute absence of emotion. When you separate the two energies, you become the vessel of guidance. You do not control the lightning; you are merely the host through which the lightning flows." Stepping aside, he said, "Now both of you try it. I have every reason to believe that you two can do this."

Aang and Zuko hesitated for a moment, then stepped out towards the edge of the cliff. They steeled themselves and drew in a deep breath, clearing their minds of all other thoughts. They could feel the yin and yang energies around them and, circling their arms around, broke the two apart. Synchronizing their movements, electricity flowed around them as they went through the stances. Both of them felt alive with all the raw energy that was flowing through them. Bringing their fingers together, the energy crackled for a brief moment as yin and yang combined…and then the two jabbed out at the same time. There was an even louder _BOOM!_ as two tendrils of lightning arced throughout the sky. Aang and Zuko stood there for a brief moment, then they looked at each other. Both broke out into huge smiles and looked at Gregor, who was smiling proudly at his two friends. "Congratulations, gentleman," he said happily. "You have learned the ways of the cold-blood fire."

"It's incredible!" Aang exclaimed, and Zuko nodded in agreement. "I could feel the two energies, and it all felt so natural. I don't know why I didn't try this before." He bowed to Gregor and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Gregor. I truly hope that this will help us in the future." He smiled at the two Firebenders and said, "We should get back to the others. We've still got a ways to go before we get to Wu Long Forest, and I'm sure that in the time we've been standing here Toph has been mercilessly pounding away at Meigui." The three men chuckled and walked back to the campsite.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, they found themselves in sight of Wu Long Forest. Aang looked to the mountain range just beyond the wooded forest and was surprised to see a large cloud bank over where the city of Gufeng would be. He could feel as Katara climbed next to him on Appa's head, and he turned to smile at his wife. She returned the smile and asked, "Is that where the Air Nomads are?"<p>

"Let's find out," Aang replied teasingly. Turning to Appa, he cried out, "Yip yip!" The bison roared in excitement and everyone held on tight as he descended down towards the mountains. Soon they were surrounded by white clouds as they made their way through the overcast balls of fluff. He turned back to everyone and announced, "May I present to you all…the great Air Nomad city of Gufeng!" As he turned around, they broke through the clouds and all those who hadn't seen the city yet gasped with astonishment. They could see the dozens of Air Temples scattered throughout the valley as well as the bison, lemurs, and gliders that populated the sky. Everyone was speechless at the unbelievable sight in front of them, and in complete awe of the Airbenders. Dreo was describing the scene to Toph, who had a smile on her face and happy tears in her pale green eyes as he told her.

Aang turned to Katara and saw tears of happiness in her eyes as she laughed joyfully, completely overwhelmed by the sight in front of her. "Aang…" she whispered happily, "this is so wonderful!" She leaned against her husband's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her as he kissed her head. "You're finally home," she said with a sigh of contentment. They both looked at each other, unable to say anything else at the moment due to the overpowering joy in their souls. _I'm so happy for him_, she thought to herself. _For so long, he was the only Airbender in the world, and now…now his people have returned. _She looked lovingly into her husband's eyes, pure happiness and joy emanating from her eyes to his. The two kissed each other deeply as Appa continued to descend down into the valley.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Of Monks and War

*Bursts through wall like Kool-Aid Man* OH YEAH! Ahem. I'm back once more, my adoring fans. :D I enjoyed writing this chapter, and I only spent two days writing it. :P Feeling pretty pleased with myself right now. But enough about me, let's get on with the story! Enjoy! Read and review to your heart's content!

I would also like to give another special shout-out to my two biggest fans and supporters, RhiannaRobbins and The gooroo! These two users have helped me immensely in writing my story and have helped to figure several things out in my planning of it. This story would not be as great without their support and guidance. Again, I thank these two with my whole heart. Rock on, my friends! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Twelve: Of Monks and War**

Appa descended down to the entrance of the main Airbender Temple, Dakong Si. Many Air Nomads gathered around the entrance as the bison touched down, curious to see who the newcomers were. At the entrance of the temple stood five elders, presumably the Monk Council of Gufeng. They were all old men, masters of their sacred art as indicated by the arrow adorning their bald heads. A two of them had long, white beards, while the other two were clean shaven. The monk who stood at the head of the five was perhaps the youngest, but still along in his age to have gray streaks in his brown mustache. A cheery smile was across his face, a twinkle of youth in his gray eyes. As Team Avatar made its way off of Appa, he held up his hands and happily announced, "My children, the Wind Spirits have seen fit to grace us with the presence of our Avatar once more in this season of Autumn, when the calming breeze is at its strongest." Folding his arms inside his long sleeves, he turned his attention to the group of heroes assembled before them. "Welcome, Avatar Aang and friends. I am Qiufeng, Senior Monk of Gufeng and head of its Council." The five elders bowed in respect to Team Avatar, who bowed in return.

As they all came out of their bows, Zuko spotted a figure coming around the five elders. He instantly recognized the figure as his mother, and he smiled upon seeing her. Ursa caught his gaze and smiled lovingly at her son, happy to be reunited with him once more. She and Qiufeng made eye contact, her amber eyes asking for approval to approach Zuko. The monk nodded his approval with a smile, and the former Fire Nation Princess approached Zuko. The Fire Lord waited until she had gotten to them before he reached out and hugged her. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine being reunited with his mother once more. Detaching from the hug, he gestured to his family and said, "Mom, this is my wife, Mai, and our son, Sun Tzu."

"I remember Mai well," said Ursa kindly. "If I remember correctly, when you both were little she had the biggest crush on you," she added, and everyone chuckled at the slight blush on Mai's cheeks. Ursa smiled and said, "It really is wonderful to see you again, Mai. You have grown into a fine young woman, even if you hadn't been my son's wife."

"Thanks…I guess," said Mai sheepishly, and Zuko chuckled as he put an arm around his wife. Ursa smiled at the two, glad to see that her son had found love and happiness in his life. She remembered the days she spent with Zuko in the gardens of the Royal Palace, how they would feed the turtle-ducks in the pond almost every day. He was full of so much innocence back then…until the night that she was banished. She knew that he had been traumatized by her leaving, and she suddenly found herself starring at his scar. She had been slightly taken aback when she first saw it during their first reunion at the base of the mountains, but she immediately knew how her son had received his scar: her husband, Ozai. She knew that Zuko had done something years after her banishment that Ozai didn't like, and he burned his own son out of anger and hatred. Her heart ached as she thought of how much pain her son had been on the day he received that scar, and what his actions on that fateful day led to.

She looked down to see the young Prince, and all thoughts of Zuko's scar were pushed to the back of her mind. She had never imagined that one day she would be standing before her own grandson. Sun Tzu looked so much like his father, proud and noble yet filled with the innocence of his young age. She stooped down so that her eyes were level with that of the young boy, who shyly clung to his mother. Ursa smiled at her grandson's timidity, reminded of how shy her Zuko had been when meeting new people for the first time. She knew that she had to establish a relationship with Sun Tzu, for he had to know that this woman before him was his grandmother. "Hello, Sun Tzu," she said in a friendly tone. "Do you know who I am?" Seeing the confused and questioning look in the boy's amber eyes, she softly said, "I'm your grandmother Ursa…I'm your daddy's mommy."

Everyone was still as they looked at Sun Tzu, nervous about his reaction to meeting his grandmother for the first time. The Prince looked at Ursa, processing what she had said in his young mind. He slowly let go of his mother and took a step towards Ursa. The two looked at each other for a long while, neither wanting to make the first move. The elderly eyes of Zuko's past looked lovingly into the young eyes of his future. Ursa had loved little Sun Tzu from the moment she laid eyes on him…but would he love her the same way? Suddenly, the little boy threw his arms around Ursa's neck, burying his face in her shoulder. The former Fire Nation Princess was surprised at first, but soon finding herself returning the hug with loving affection. "I love you, Grandma Ursa," said Sun Tzu unexpectedly, and a tear of happiness fell from Ursa's eyes. Mai leaned against Zuko, a happy smile on her face. Even the Fire Lord had tears in his eyes, too overwhelmed for words.

Everyone smiled at the happy scene before them, and Katara felt her hand slip into Aang's. As the two of them looked at Sun Tzu and Ursa, they could see their own son hugging Gran Gran in the same way. Aang and Katara looked at each other, and they knew that they were thinking the same thing. Both of them smiled lovingly, and he placed his other hand on her stomach. She placed her free hand on top of his, love guiding their actions. They felt connected at that moment, both with each other and with their unborn son. They knew deep in their hearts that the darkness that had fallen over the world had to be lifted, and that they would do everything in their power to ensure that their son would live in a world of peace and harmony. Still smiling, Katara gave Aang a quick but sweet peck on the cheek. When she leaned back from his face, he saw nothing but confident love in her cerulean eyes. His smile grew even larger, his heart filled with nothing but the passion he felt for Katara.

Ursa looked up at Mai, as if her eyes were asking for permission from the Fire Lady. Mai nodded, and Ursa picked up Sun Tzu in her arms. The little boy didn't resist his grandmother, a big smile plastered on his young face. Ursa couldn't help but smile at the child; it had been so long since she had held someone as young as him in her arms. She nuzzled her nose in his hair, eliciting a giggle from the Prince. Mai chuckled and quietly said to Zuko, "Your mother certainly has a way with children. I can see why you missed her so much…she's a really wonderful mother." She paused and added teasingly, "Maybe I could get some mothering advice from her. After all, she raised you and that's saying something." Zuko smiled and kissed Mai on the forehead, and the Fire Lady hummed in contention.

"We have much to discuss, Avatar Aang," interjected Qiufeng, catching everyone's attention. "But first things first…please introduce your friends to us, so that we may address them properly during your stay here with us." He chuckled and added, "It wouldn't be very fitting to know who our Avatar is and not the friends he is traveling with." Aang smiled, thinking of how much spirit Qiufeng had. It felt good to see the light-hearted and carefree nature of his people come back into the world.

"Of course, Monk Qiufeng," cheerily replied Aang. Gesturing to his left, he said, "This is my wife, Katara. She's a Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, and she's currently expecting our first child. She also helped me learn how to Waterbend." Katara smiled and bowed her head in acknowledgment of the elders. Qiufeng smiled and returned the acknowledging nod while the other elders bowed. Continuing with the introductions, Aang said, "Next to Katara is her older brother, Sokka, and his girlfriend, Suki. She's a Kyoshi warrior who we met on our journey ten years ago." Sokka and Suki bowed to the elders, who returned the gesture. "Next to them is Dreo, who you all already know from his time here with you, and his girlfriend, Toph Bei Fong. She taught me how to Earthbend." Dreo timidly waved to his Airbending master, while Toph just gave Qiufeng a thumbs-up. Everyone chuckled when Qiufeng gave her a thumbs-up as well, along with a quick wink at Dreo. The young Airbender blushed, eliciting a chuckle from his master.

"Next to them are Dreo's older brother, Gregor, and our newest friend and Earthbender from Ba Sing Se, Meigui." The two of them bowed to the elders, who routinely returned the bow. "Finally, down at the end are Fire Lord Zuko, Fire Lady Mai, and Fire Prince Sun Tzu. Zuko taught me how to Firebend." Hearing his bison groan behind him, Aang quickly added, "And this is Appa, my Sky Bison." Feeling something furry land on his head, he looked up to see Momo. "And this little guy is Momo, my Lemur," he finished with a smile. Momo chattered something and then flew off, presumably to play with other Lemurs.

Appa looked up and saw other bison flying in the air, who bellowed in greeting of him. Appa returned their bellows with a roar of his own and launched himself in the air with a thrust of his massive tail. Everyone looked up to see Appa join the other bison, some as large as him while other were smaller and much younger. The white beasts began dancing through the air, circling around each other gracefully. Katara turned her gaze from the dancing bison to the face of her husband, and she saw a reminiscent look in his gray eyes and smile as he watched the spectacle above them. She smiled at the expression on his face, knowing just how happy he was to see the sight that was before them. _It's been so long since he's seen this many Sky Bison in one place_, she thought to herself. _But I'm glad that he's happy. After so many years of thinking that he, Appa, and Momo were the last of their society…it's good to see him not having bear the burden of being the last Airbender anymore_. She hummed to herself. _But what if the Air Nomads hadn't escaped? Would our son have been the heir to the legacy of the Airbenders? I don't know…but either way, I'm certain that our baby boy will be an Airbender_. She smiled at this thought and returned her gaze to the skies.

"Since it seems that Appa and Momo have found something to occupy themselves with," said Qiufeng as he and the elders looked back at Team Avatar, "I suggest that we all come inside the temple. Much has been going in the world as of late, and it is time that we discuss it." He pauses for a moment, thinking of anything he could have forgotten. Directing his attention to Aang, he said, "We have spare rooms available for you all, and we would be glad to send for escorts for your wife to take her up there while we have our discussion."

Aang began to say something, but he was suddenly cut off by Katara. "Thank you for offer, Monk Qiufeng," she said firmly, "but I would prefer to stay with my husband. My pregnancy has not hampered my ability to walk, and I am still a very large part of this team we have. It wouldn't be right of me to not be of any help to Aang and my other friends." Katara and Qiufeng stared at each other for a long time, and Aang could see the hardness in her eyes. He knew that she was not about to be cast aside because of her condition, and that she wanted to show how strong she was to Aang's people. Tension was in the air, as if the elder Airbender were choosing his words carefully. Qiufeng could see the lively spirit in Katara's eyes, the force that continually drove her to help others no matter what she was going through.

Finally, the monk smiled kindly and said, "Of course, Katara. You are as much a part of our culture as Aang is, and you have every right to be with him during our council meeting. Truthfully, we are honored that you have chosen to join us." He bowed respectfully to Katara, whose eyes softened at the monk's kindness. Coming out of his bow, Qiufeng looked at Aang and said, "Your wife certainly has a free spirit, much like the one all Air Nomads share. I have not seen so much compassion and gentleness in one being throughout my entire life, and I have no doubt that she will be a wonderful mother." Raising his hand in blessing, he incanted, "May the Spirits of the Wind watch over you and your wife, and may the sacred gift of Airbending be bestowed upon your child." Flicking his hand, a small breeze shot out of it and passed over Aang and Katara. The Avatar looked over at Katara and saw her smiling, a calm look in her eyes as the wind blew through her hair. He could feel the same calming sensation, as if all his worries and troubles were being blown away. Soon he found himself smiling as Qiufeng's hand fell down by his side and the breeze died down.

"Thank you," Aang began to say before the elder put up his hand and cut him off. Rather than feeling spited at the interruption, Aang found himself chuckling. Air Nomad monks always did these sorts of blessings for the betterment of others; they were selfless benedictions that promoted life and happiness.

Dropping his hand, Qiufeng smiled and said, "Think nothing of it, Avatar Aang. We know that you have encountered many hardships in your life, and we only wish for you to be happy with your wife." He paused and said, "All of you may follow us to the Council Chamber, where we will have our discussion." As if cued by some sort of hidden signal, the five elders turned as one and began to head inside. Team Avatar followed shortly behind, leaving behind a crowd of on-looking Air Nomads. The interior of Dakong Si was much like that of the other Air Temples, but even more splendid in its grandeur. Not only did were the walls adorned with the origin of the Air Nomads, but also the story of their survival from the genocide by the Fire Nation. They made their way up a spiraling central staircase, and soon they came out to an open-air courtyard high above the ground, providing a clear view of the rest. Aang could tell from the air pressure that they were at least a two hundred feet in the air, about a third of the temple's height. The courtyard served as the Council Chambers for the elder monks, which was made evident by the five orange cushions arranged in a semi-circle that pointed towards the entrance.

The five elders took their respective seats: the two clean shaven monks on the left and the two bearded ones on the right, with Qiufeng in the middle. Team Avatar stood in front of the Monk Council, nervous of the task they had set before them. Qiufeng leaned forward in his seat and said, "Let us begin…tell us everything that you know. Our recent scouting mission was unable to produce any sort of useful information about this rumored secret organization that's been surfacing as of late." Extending his hand in a motioning gesture towards Team Avatar, he added, "Perhaps you can enlighten us with what you know. After all, many of you are heroes of the Hundred Years' War." Putting his hand down, he chuckled light-heartedly and said, "Forgive me. I sometimes find myself unable to stop the flow of words from my mouth. But please…on with your story." For the next three hours, Team Avatar revealed everything they knew about the Dark Legion and their operations as well as the plan of uniting the Four Nations as one against the oncoming darkness. The monks' expressions grew grim and even horrified at the telling of the Dark Legion's kidnapping and their murderous intentions, and they were shocked as they recounted the tale of the brainwashing of Dreo and the battle in the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness The sun grew low in the sky and was beginning to set as they finished their story. The elders' looks of concern and seriousness were evident, and it seemed as if a great burden had been set upon their shoulders. Qiufeng looked up with tired gray eyes and said, "This is indeed dark news…and to think the world could have returned to the serenity of peace after the fires of the Hundred Years' War…" He trailed off as he looked down at the ground, his hands folded underneath his chin.

"So…" Aang said hesitantly, "does that mean you will fight by our side in the coming war with the Dark Legion? We already have the support of the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, and Water Tribes. The Dark Legion has already recruited benders and warriors from each of these nations, but there are still soldiers who are loyal to their homelands. If the Air Nomads fight by our side, we can easily outnumber the Dark Legion's forces both in terms of bending capabilities and manpower." He paused and waited for a response as the elders convened with one another, their old voices resonating through the Council Chambers. He looked nervously at Katara, who gave him a smile of reassurance. She took his hand in hers and gave it a comforting squeeze, silently telling them that she was there for him. He smiled back at her, glad for her support. They looked back at the elders, and Team Avatar held its breath as the minutes began to slowly drag by.

After almost fifteen minutes of heated debate, Monk Qiufeng stood up from his seat. Everyone looked at him expectantly, nervous about what he had to say. "The Monk Council of the Air Nomad city of Gufeng has come to a unanimous decision concerning the allegiance of the Air Nomads with the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation against the prevailing shadow of the Dark Legion and its Emperor," he announced with authority. He paused, causing tension and uncertainty to set in once more.

Aang could feel Katara squeezing his hand apprehensively. Both Sokka and Dreo had their fingers crossed, the two of them silently whispering "Please, please, please, please," over and over again. Suki had her hands behind her back, nervously playing with her folded fans. Mai leaned against Zuko, who was slightly shaking. Ursa held Sun Tzu closer to her, the young boy's arms around her neck. Toph stood completely still, not wanting to move even a single inch. Gregor felt something squeeze his hand, and he looked down to see Meigui's hand in his. His golden eyes followed her arm up and stopped when they met her green eyes. The two of them blushed, but neither one of them let go. They smiled timidly at one another, glad to have each other for comfort. They returned their gaze to the scene in front of them, feeling a newfound appreciation for one another rising up within them.

Qiufeng delivered the Council's decision with just four words: "We will not fight." There was a sudden silence after he spoke, as if the weight of reality had come crashing down upon Team Avatar. Everyone's mouths dropped open in complete shock, stunned by what they had just heard. Suki's hand was over her mouth, her eyes wide. Sokka and Dreo's arms had fallen uselessly at their sides, their backs hunched over in astonishment. Toph's hands were balled up into fists of anger, her open mouth turned into a scowl. Zuko, Mai, and Ursa looked dumbfounded, their eyes full of confusion. Even Sun Tzu seemed to sense what was going on and hugged himself closer to his grandmother. Gregor felt Meigui catch her breath and squeeze his hand tighter, causing his blush to redden even more. Katara could only look at the elders in bewilderment, and suddenly she could feel Aang trembling next to her.

"What?" Aang said in utter disbelief. "W-What do you mean you won't fight?" He drew in a sharp breath and stammered, "You can't be serious!" He refused to believe what he was seeing right now. Everything they had planned against the Dark Legion…the alliance between the Four Nations…it was all falling apart before his very eyes. _No…_ he thought to himself. _We've worked too hard for us to fail now!_ He could see the seriousness in Qiufeng's eyes as he sat back down in his seat.

"I _am_ serious, Avatar," emphasized Qiufeng, his voice as hard as a thunderstorm. "We will not forsake our ways of nonviolence just for the world to bathe itself in the blood of another war." Sitting up straight, he said, "Our people have never been involved in any of the wars of this world. We have always sat out and done nothing, allowing the other nations to resolve their differences in whatever way they see best…whether by the edge of sword or spear or by the very elements they bend." Sokka put his hand on the pommel of his sword, itching to test the elder on his preaching of nonviolence. He was stopped by a firm hand from Suki, and when he looked at his girlfriend he could see her eyes silently telling him not to do anything foolish. Sokka nodded at her and took his hand off his sword, still burning with anger at the Council's decision.

"What about when the Fire Nation tried to wipe us out over one hundred years ago?" demanded Aang as his own anger grew. "From what I remember Dreo telling me, there were Airbenders who stayed behind and fought against the Fire Nation soldiers. How is that not a violation of our traditions?" He shook with rage and angrily shouted, "When I saw Monk Gyatso's skeleton at the Southern Air Temple ten years ago, there were numerous corpses of Fire Nation soldiers around him. He had to have killed them in that instance!" He threw his free hand out to his side as he shouted, "He didn't just sit there and _do nothing_ as the Fire Nation came crashing down the temple door!" He felt Katara squeeze his hand again, and he came back to his senses. He was letting his anger at the elders get the best of him, and that was not what they needed right now.

"During the time of the Air Nomad Genocide," replied Qiufeng calmly, "our people simply employed the oldest and noblest trick in Airbending: avoid and evade. By drawing the Fire Nation's attention away from the evacuating survivors, our people were able to survive. Those who chose to stay behind and fight did so out of their own freewill." He paused and added, "We only used violence against the Fire Nation because it was necessary for our survival as a whole. But now that The War is over, there is no need for us to resort to those drastic measures again…not even in these darkest of times."

"Are you blind to the truth of the situation?" asked Gregor as he stepped forward, almost reluctant to leave Meigui's side. He stood before the Council and said, "The world already knows of your return. Earth King Kuei has already sent out messengers all over the Earth Kingdom proclaiming the news! It's only a matter of time until the Water Tribes and the Fire Nation hear the news as well. The Dark Legion is as much a threat to you as it is to the rest of the world." He shook his head impatiently and added, "The Emperor will find this place and seek to corrupt your people."

"Impossible," quipped the elder on Quifeng's immediate right, a monk with a short white beard. "The Air Nomads would never turn from their spiritual ways to follow this…this self-proclaimed Emperor of Darkness in his conquest of the world." He chortled jollily and added, "Besides, what could he possibly offer them? Our people do not require useless material things in order to live our spiritual lives."

"Revenge," intoned Zuko thoughtfully, causing everyone to look at him. "There are probably still some Air Nomads who hate the Fire Nation for what they did over a hundred years ago. No matter how much spiritual enlightenment you achieve, you will always answer to your baser instincts…and that includes revenge for unanswered crimes. Even though they would be working alongside Firebenders, they would all have one common goal: the overthrow of the Avatar and the Four Nations of the world."

"Listen to his words," scoffed the elder on Qiufeng's far left, a slightly chubby monk with small facial features and enlarged cheeks. "He speaks as if he knows the ways of the Air Nomads." He adjusted his robes and added, "This…_Fire Lord_ would not know spiritual enlightenment even if it were a Sky Bison that fell on his back!" Seeing Zuko scowl at him, he added, "Actually, it would be more like a dozen Sky Bison, since he is too proud in the ways of his nation." Zuko attempted to lunge at the monk, but Mai held him back. He shot an angry look at her, but she gave him just as firm of a look in return. His flaring temper simmered down, and he restrained himself.

"You're one to talk!" interjected Toph, directing everyone's attention towards her. Pointing an accusing finger at the monk who insulted Zuko, she said, "You baldies don't want to do any fighting because it would go against your own traditions. And you say Zuko's too proud in the ways of his nation? Hah!" Dropping her arm down to her side, she folded her hands on her hips and sarcastically said, "Sounds like you've been hitting the fruit pies a bit too much, Chubby Cheeks." The monk's face flushed with embarrassment as he stammered, dumbfounded at the blind Earthbender. Everyone was worried about how Toph handled the situation because her actions weren't exactly helping them.

"Dreo," said Qiufeng sternly, "restrain your Earthbender girlfriend before I am forced to throw her out of the Council Chambers." Dreo gulped nervously and walked up behind Toph. He placed on a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm down, which she did as soon as he touched her. The young Airbender let out a silent sigh of relief, glad that Toph didn't punch him or something just as horrible. Seeing that the blind Earthbender was under control, Qiufeng said, "If the rest of the world thinks so little of the Air Nomads that they insult us for our beliefs, then I do not see any reason as to why we should help preserve those people."

"It's because you all share the same fate!" shouted Katara adamantly, tearing herself away from Aang and walking closer the Monk Council. She stopped just short of them and said, "The Four Nations depend on one another for balance. Just as Aang needs the four elements, so do the Four Nations in their dependence on one another! Whatever happens to one of you affects the others, no matter how separate everyone seems to think that they are." She paused and said, "When I was a little girl, my Grandmother would tell me stories about how great the Air Nomads were…how free-spirited and happy they were in the old days. When I met Aang, I knew that those stories were true. When I saw Gufeng for the first time, I knew that there was still goodness left in the world…but now I see that the Air Nomads have been tainted by all their years in hiding and have become nothing more than cowardly turtle-snails!" She shouted this last part, her voice carrying throughout the open air. Everyone looked nervously at her as she exchanged hard looks with Qiufeng, neither one giving in to the other.

After a moment of tense silence, Qiufeng said in a firm tone, "Our decision on the matter is final." He clapped his hand twice and two young Air Nomad girls entered the courtyard. "Escort the Avatar and his friends to their quarters," he instructed, and the two girls nodded in understanding. Looking back at Katara, he said, "I would watch yourself, Lady Katara. You may hold sway over your husband, but these people are my world. I will do what is best for them." The rest of Team Avatar grew apprehensive; they knew better than to get involved whenever Katara gets into an argument with someone.

Katara scowled angrily at the elder and walked up to Qiufeng. She leaned towards him and whispered back, "Aang _is_ my whole world, and I will do what is best for him. If the Air Nomads had been wiped out by the Fire Nation, he would have carried on the true tradition of his people...the child in my womb is living proof of that." She leaned even closer to him until they were at eye level. "Aang is ten-thousand times braver than you and your little entourage will ever be," she whispered with finality. "You know nothing of what he has been through in his life." Qiufeng narrowed his gray eyes at the Waterbender, working hard to keep his emotions under control. Katara felt Aang put his hands on her shoulders, and she could feel his worried eyes boring into her back. He was silently begging her to back away from the elder before she did something she would regret.

She let her gaze linger on Qiufeng for several more moments, then put her hand on her right shoulder and took Aang's hand. As she turned, she kept her unflinching eyes on Qiufeng in her attempt to intimidate the monk. Deciding that he wasn't worth her time, she turned to face her husband. Concern was obvious in his eyes, a slight frown on his face. She squeezed his hand, silently telling him that it was time for them to leave. Husband and wife walked hand-in-hand as they followed the others out of the courtyard. As they left, the other elders looked at Qiufeng for his reaction. He let out a weary sigh and began rubbing his bald head, tired by the trials and tribulations of the day. _The Avatar's wife certainly is a stubborn one_, he thought to himself. _But I will not let her words change my judgment on this matter_.

Team Avatar was silent as they followed the two young girls to their quarters, their hearts heavy at their failed attempt to convince the Air Nomads to join their cause. They arrive at their living quarters after a few minutes of walking, and the two girls stood on either side of the doorway into the room. Looking in, they could see six sets of beds lined up against the walls, more than enough to accommodate all of them. There were open-air windows all along the wall on the right side of the room, pouring natural light into the living space. Aang and Katara were the last to enter the room, and when they did the two girls bowed and quickly closed the door behind them. They waited until Toph felt they weren't being spied upon by any Air Nomads outside of their room, and when she nodded they all sighed heavily. Sokka flung himself on the nearest bed and sarcastically said, "Well…that went about as well as Aang's first attempt at Earthbending." He looked up and saw everyone scowling at him, and he threw up his arms in defense. "Hey, I'm just saying what everyone's thinking." Everyone's scowls dropped into frowns as they sadly nodded in agreement. They dispersed throughout the room as they all found beds to sit on.

Aang and Katara sat on the nearest bed on the left side of the room, just opposite of Sokka's, while Suki sat on the same bed as her boyfriend. On the bed just behind Aang and Katara's bed sat Dreo and Toph, and on the bed behind Sokka and Suki's bed sat Gregor and Meigui. On the last sets of beds, Mai and Zuko sat on the left side while Ursa and Sun Tzu sat on the right side. "What are we going to do now?" hopelessly asked Suki, her arms folded across her chest. "Can we even win against the Dark Legion with the support we already have?"

"I don't know…" muttered Aang, and he looked up at Katara. She still held a bitter expression on her face, an angry frown on her lips. Her eyebrows were scrunched with frustration, and he could see the stress in her eyes. She was staring hard at the ground, thinking for her brief argument with Qiufeng. Aang squeezed her hand and she looked at him. He knew the look in her eyes; it was if the world was against them once more, telling them that they couldn't do something. He could see defiance in her ocean-blue eyes, a raging storm of emotions disturbing the once-tranquil beauty of those blue orbs. He smiled softly and looked lovingly into her eyes in an attempt to calm her. He knew that this was not his lovely Katara that he was seeing, but rather the angry and vicious tiger-dillo of her emotions.

As Katara stared into Aang's calm eyes, her turbulent emotions began to settle down. She could never stay mad when she looked into those eyes, so full of life and love. Her face relaxed and came out of its angry state. Soon she found herself smiling back at Aang, the anger in her eyes replaced with her love for him. She knew in her heart that Aang was the only one who truly understood her, the only one who knew how to calm her. She silently thanked the Moon and Ocean Spirits for bringing this wonderful man into her life…and she prayed to them to keep him with her as long as possible.

She was suddenly reminded of his early death, and she could feel a single tear trail down her cheek. Aang noticed this and slowly twirled his hand in front of her. Katara could feel the wetness on her face lift off until it collected into a tiny orb in front of her eyes. She stared into the droplet and saw her reflection in the water, a miniature version of her floating in thin air. Aang slightly twitched his fingers, and she saw the orb grow larger as he drew moisture from the air. Soon the small orb had grown to the size of a pearl. She stared at the glistening ball of water with curiosity. _What's he up to?_ she thought to herself. Aang smiled mischievously and moved his fingers with purpose. Katara watched as the round ball slowly shaped itself into…a heart.

Her eyes widened in delighted surprise, feeling her mouth open in amazement at what Aang had made. She heard him chuckle and looked up at him. Looking into his gray orbs, she saw nothing but his unconditional love for her shining in his eyes. She couldn't help but smile at his sweet and thoughtful act. He lightly blew on the liquid heart, dissolving it into a fine mist that caressed Katara's face. She closed her eyes with pleasure as her hair fluttered slightly in the gentle breeze and felt the mist tickle her fair skin. She softly giggled as the cool vapor passed her by. When the small gust had passed, she opened her eyes and started lovingly at Aang. _Thank you_, her eyes said silently to him, and she squeezed his hand. With his free hand, he tenderly stroked her cheek and smiled at her. They had each other, and that was all that they needed in life.

Toph interrupted the warm moment by yawning loudly and stretching her arms to her sides. Aang and Katara snapped back to reality, and his hand fell from her cheek. Both of them chuckled, for they both knew that they still had a whole lifetime with each other ahead of them. There would be many more tender moments in the future. "I don't know about all of you," Toph said, "but I'm bushed. Guess it's tiring just being me all the time." She threw herself back on the bed and put her hands behind her head as everyone rolled their eyes at her.

"I completely agree with Toph," said Sokka. "There's nothing else we can do today." Before he lowered his head for sleep, he said, "Hey Aang, Zuko, Gregor, and Toph…I wanted to say something to you." The people whose names he had called turned their attention towards him. He took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry if I seemed a bit grumpier than usual on the day we drove out the Dai Li." He looked at Toph and added, "I also wanted to apologize to you, Toph. I wasn't myself that day, and my actions towards you were unnecessary." He dropped his gaze to the ground and remorsefully said, "I guess…just with all that's been happening lately with Dark Legion…and after Katara was almost…" He swallowed nervously, not wanting to say the word. "…I just think it's all been getting to me, and as a result I've taken my anger out on you. You've always been a great friend, always keeping a level-head when the world's falling apart…I don't deserve a friend like you...I'm just a horrible person." He kept his ashamed eyes glued to the floor, feeling nothing but regret for his actions that day. Everyone was touched by his heart-felt apology, and Suki held her boyfriend's hand.

After a long moment of silence, Toph gently said, "It's OK, Sokka. We're all feeling stressed because of what's happening. You just had to blow off some steam." She paused for a brief moment as she continued to stare at the ceiling and added, "But you are not a horrible person." Sokka looked up at her with a confused look in his eyes. "You've always looked out for your friends and for your sister. You're a great warrior who knows the difference between right and wrong. You're fearless, strong, smart, brave, funny, quick-witted…our team wouldn't be complete without you." The Water Tribe Warrior smiled at Toph, glad to hear that she wasn't mad at him. "I know you would never betray us…you're the most loyal person I've ever known." As Toph said this, Meigui averted her eyes from view. No one noticed this, and Toph continued. "I'm not going to hold a grudge against you for something you did in the past." Suddenly Meigui got up and ran from the room, everyone watching as she hurriedly opened the door and fled through it and ran off to the right.

"What's with her?" asked a confused Sokka. Everyone was concerned about what was happening with Meigui, and they weren't sure what could have caused her to run out so suddenly. He looked at Toph, who just shrugged at him. Aang and Katara looked at each other, worried looks in their eyes. Everyone watched as Gregor got up from his seat on his bed.

"I'll go check on her," he said as he stared at the doorway. "I'll try to find out what's wrong with her." Looking around at everyone else, he added, "All of you just try and get some sleep. It's been a long day." He paused and added, "We'll see what we can about the Council tomorrow, but for now just rest. I'll be back soon." Everyone nodded and he began walking out of the room.

"Don't do anything _dishonorable_ with her, big brother!" Dreo called out to him as he walked out of the room. Gregor ignored him and turned right, making his way down the hallway. He could hear his little brother laughing loudly, but his laughter was cut short as an audible _SMACK!_ filled the air. "Ow!" cried out Dreo, and the Firebender smiled to himself. He knew that Toph had hit her boyfriend to get him to shut up. He walked for a little bit, making his way down the one-hall corridor as he searched for Meigui. Suddenly, he heard sobs at the end of the hallway and he hurried his speed.

He came out onto an open balcony that overlooked the city, and standing there with her head on the railing was Meigui. Her head was resting on her folded arms, her crying muffled by her clothing. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, and it broke Gregor's heart to see her this way. "Meigui?" he called out hesitantly. She quickly looked up and gasped when she saw Gregor. Tears streamed down her face, her green eyes full of shame and guilt. She turned and started to run, and Gregor called out, "Wait! I just want to talk to you!" She stopped, but she didn't turn around and kept her head down as she let out a choked sob. Gregor walked behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. She kept her head down, afraid to even look up at him. "Meigui," he said softly, "look at me." She slowly raised her head and looked into his eyes. He could see the hurt welling up inside of her, and he gently asked, "What's wrong, Meigui? Was it something Toph said that upset you?"

Meigui was silent for several moments as she looked off to her right at the setting sun. Gregor realized that when the sun hit her eyes, her green irises shone like jade. It was a beautiful sight to behold, but he shook the thought out of his head. He wasn't here to admire her physical features; he was here to find out why she had run out so suddenly. Meigui sighed and muttered, "Yes…" She shook her head and said, "No, no that's not it…you can't trust me." She kept her eyes averted from the noble Firebender, shame flooding her eyes.

"What do you mean?" asked Gregor, confused by what she was saying. "I completely trust you. What could you possibly do to make me not trust you?" He thought Meigui was the most honest and truthful person he had ever met. She was fun to be around, always happy and full of life, and yet still able to hold her own and be independent when she had to be. She was a great Earthbender, able to keep pace with even Toph.

Meigui shook her head sadly and looked up at Gregor. "It's not what I'm going to do," she said miserably, "but what I have done." She paused and added, "Before I met you guys…I got involved in something that could have hurt a lot of people. It's my biggest regret…that's why you can't trust me." Gregor could see the pain seeping out of her eyes as her tears fell again. He thought he saw a flash of resignation in her eyes, as if she was getting ready to tell him her secret. He decided that he wasn't going to let her go through that heartache, and he wrapped his arms around her in hug. Her eyes widened in surprise, not expecting him to do this.

"I could never hate you for anything you've done in the past," Gregor said firmly. "Like I said, I completely trust you…and I care a lot about you." Meigui found herself blushing at Gregor's words, but her surprise soon faded away. She smiled and hugged Gregor back, leaning her head against his broad chest. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy the comforting warmth that emanated from his strong body. Her guilt and sadness washed away until all she could feel was Gregor. The two of them stood there hugging each other as the sun set on the horizon, leaving nothing but the cold night behind.

* * *

><p>In the dark of the night, Captain Kongju stood on the precipice of the valley. He looked out over the quiet Airbender city of Gufeng, a scowl on his demonic face. He had been waiting for hours and his contact still had not shown up. He was growing impatient, and he was sorely tempted to spread his evil fire over this wretched place. The Air Nomads disgusted him, but the Dark Legion had allies within these mountains. Suddenly, a figure dropped out of the sky and landed in front of him. The figure slowly stood up straight and bowed to the evil Firebender. "Were you followed?" asked Kongju coldly.<p>

"No sir," replied the figure in a husky voice as he came out of his bow. "My people are always meditating at this time of night. There is no danger of us being overheard here." The figure was a thirty-year old male Airbender, dressed in the robes of a monk. A blue arrow adorned his bald head, and he had hard silver eyes that matched the hardness of his face. He was not like any other Airbender who had ever lived, for he had darkness in his heart. "My men and I are ready to commence the operation for the tomorrow's events. Do I have your permission to proceed?"

Kongju nodded and said, "Begin your preparations for tomorrow, and by day's end you shall be in the ranks of the Dark Legion." The Airbender nodded and turned to leave. "Wait," Kongju said suddenly, causing the Airbender to turn his head to look back at the evil man. "Remember this…the Emperor is only allowing you and your men to join his army because you all have turned from the ways of your people. If you do anything to make him think that your loyalty to him is faltering, he will not hesitate to end you on the spot. Am I understood?"

"Absolutely," said the Airbender with deadly confidence. "There is nothing in my heart but hatred for these cowards who would choose to hide from the world instead of taking their revenge on the Avatar for his cowardice over one hundred years ago. I serve only the darkness…and our Emperor." Kongju smiled evilly; everything was going according to plan.

"Excellent," replied Kongju with demonic delight. "Now go forth and spread the darkness…Taifeng of the Air Nomads." The Airbender, Taifeng, smiled with grim pleasure and nodded. He turned his head to face the city and jumped high into the air, propelled by his Airbending. Kongju's sinister smile grew even larger as the darkness began to pass over the last remnant of the Air Nomad society. _Soon the darkness shall take hold of the Avatar's people_, thought Kongju to himself, _and the Emperor's revenge shall be that much closer to being fulfilled_. He chuckled to himself, for he knew tomorrow would be a glorious day in their dark conquest of the world.


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Treachery

Happy Independence Day! :D I'm back once more, bringing you more of my epic story. This one was another really long one, and I apologize for having to make you wait this long. I've been busy over the weekend and haven't had much time to work on my story. This chapter is really good, but I felt like I rushed again at the end due to the length. :/ Oh well. :P Enjoy reading and please review!

_NOTE: ANONYMOUS REVIEWS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!_

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Thirteen: Treachery**

_Aang walked around the Southern Air Temple, taking in the fresh morning air. He felt completely at peace and at one with the Universe. The bright sun shone down upon the stone temple, the white marble glistening like a gem. He could see dozens of Sky Bison, Lemurs, and Air Nomads gliding through the air, enjoying the gift of flight that they were born with. Many more monks roamed the halls of the great temple, ranging from young boys to wise elders. Aang smiled to himself, for he had missed this familiar sight in his childhood home._

_He made his way through the temple until he came upon the Hall of Avatars. He opened the door with blasts of air from his palms, unlocking the inner mechanisms of the massive door. The gate slowly swung open, revealing the contents of the Hall. Aang stepped through and saw a familiar person standing before the statues of his past lives, a Water Tribe woman whom he had known for many years. She turned around, and Aang found himself staring into Katara's loving eyes. She was still heavily pregnant, made apparent by her bulging stomach. They smiled at each other and she began walking towards him._

_Suddenly a shadow descended from the ceiling and landed behind Katara. Aang's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to warn his wife, but it was too late. A clawed hand burst through Katara's chest, her beating heart in its bloody clutches. The Waterbender looked down in shock at the hand, her jaw dropped open in horror. She gasped for air, but it was useless. She made a strangled gurgling noise as the hand retracted, taking her still beating heart with it. A hole had appeared in Katara's chest, blood pouring out of the horrific wound. Aang watched uselessly as his wife fell to the floor, landing on her side. Blood began pooling around her lifeless body, a crimson blanket of death._

_Aang looked up to see none other than Azula standing there, a look of pure and unadulterated evil on her face. She smiled deviously as she held Katara's beating heart in her bloody hand, eyeing it as if it were a prize. "Another soul for the darkness," she said victoriously. She began laughing manically as she set the living heart on fire, blue flames consuming the once-vital organ. Aang screamed and lunged towards the insane Fire Nation Princess, but her fire grew until it consumed her. When the flames subsided, Azula was gone, her demonic laughter still echoing in Aang's ears._

"_Katara!" Aang screamed, unable to control his grief. He ran over to his wife's side and dropped to his knees, soaking them in her life blood. He picked her up in his arms, and he could see her lifeless eyes staring off into space. He knew she was gone, and he could feel his tears pour down his face. "No…" he whispered helplessly. He had feared this day all his life, but now it had just happened before his very eyes._

"_Aang," said Katara in a flat tone, and the Avatar looked at her in complete shock. He dropped her from his hands and quickly shot up on his feet, backing away from her as if she were diseased. Katara slowly got up and faced Aang, the gaping hole in her chest looking at him like some horrible third eye. There was no emotion in her eyes, only the blackness of death. "You did not keep your promise," she said in the same monotone voice. "You failed to protect me, and now the world shall pay the ultimate price." He watched in fear as he saw her body crumple into dust before his very eyes, an unseen wind scattering the fine grains up towards the ceiling._

_Aang felt himself become detached from his body, as if something had forced him out. He was now standing in the doorway, watching the not-him shake with unimaginable anger, rage, and sadness. He watched as all the eyes of the Avatar statues began to shine with a familiar glow, but it was not the pure white of the Avatar State. The eyes of the past Avatars were glowing as black as death, tinged with a redness as thick as the blood that Aang had kneeled in. The horrible light continued climbing up the Hall, lighting up each statue on its way up to the heavens._

_He saw the not-Aang turn around to face him. Aang gasped in terror as he saw the eyes and tattoos of the not-him glowing with the power of the Dark Avatar State. "__**DEATH!**__" bellowed the dark demon, and a blinding black light enveloped the not-Aang. The Avatar ran in fear from the Hall of Avatars, sprinting as fast as he could. He jumped up to the top of the temple with a massive burst of air and landed on the central spire. Looking back, he could see that the occupants of the temple had disappeared. Now he could only see storm clouds congregating to the temple, countless lightning bolts coursing through the dark veil. He could see the Hall of Avatars explode, sending debris everywhere. A black orb rose from the ruins, ascending into the sky. Aang looked on in fear as he saw the not-him inside the pulsating ball of darkness, evil eyes staring straight at him. "__**AHHHHH!**__" roared the demon Avatar as his limbs shot out in all directions. The lightning intensified in its fierceness and frequency as bolt after bolt crashed down and impacted the earth, creating a constant rumble of earth-shaking thunder._

_Suddenly, the wind began blowing furiously and the earth started shaking violently. In the distance he could see the Patola Mountains crumbling like playing cards before the wind. He felt the wind blowing towards him, and suddenly a massive mountain exploded. Large slabs of rock floated in mid-air, then angled towards the temple. Aang could only watch as the massive rocks raced towards him, threatening to crush him. The demon Avatar screamed even louder, darkness taking over his actions. Aang could hear rushing water, and he looked behind him to see a massive tidal wave several miles high heading towards him. The roar of the not-him was like an unending howl, echoing to the ends of the earth. Aang watched as the demon Avatar punched towards him, unleashing a massive inferno of raging fire that blasted towards Aang. Feeling the terrible heat of the flames, Aang knew that this fire was infinitely more powerful than anything he had encountered in his fight with Fire Lord Ozai._

_Aang looked in all directions, and he saw that he was surrounded on all sides by the four elements: Air to his left, Water behind him, Earth to his right, and Fire in front of him. The air funneled itself into a deadly cyclone, threatening to suck Aang off the face of the temple as it raced towards him. The water shot up into the air, then shot back down in a massive and deadly ice spear almost half a mile long. The earth to his right screamed towards him, countless gigantic boulders flying through the air. The fire in front of him spread itself like the wings of a phoenix, and with all the ferocity of a million dragons sped towards Aang. The Avatar was paralyzed by his fear, unable to move as the four elements moved in to end his life. He screamed and closed his eyes, bracing for the end. The chaos around him roared in his mind, and finally the four elements collided at the top of the temple._

"Ah!" Aang shot his eyes open and quickly sat up in his bed, his heart racing like a cheetah-lion. He gasped for air, trying to collect his thoughts and get his bearings. His eyes darted around the room, looking for anything familiar. He could see that he was in the quarters given to him by the elders of Gufeng. Looking around, he saw all his friends sleeping peacefully around him. Zuko and Mai had their arms around each other, while Sun Tzu snuggled with Ursa. Next to him, he could see Toph sleeping by herself on the bed, her arms and legs spread out to cover the whole mattress. Looking down, he saw Dreo sleeping on the floor in a heap of arms and legs (Aang assumed that sometime during the night Toph had pushed him off the bed in her sleep). Across the way, he could see Meigui sleeping with her head on a peaceful Gregor's chest. Next to them, he saw Suki snuggled up against Sokka. The Water Tribe Warrior was snoring loudly, his mouth opened quite obnoxiously as a trail of drool made its down to his shirt.

He closed his eyes and slowly turned his head to the right, afraid to open them because of what he might see. He hesitantly opened them, and he could just make out the sleeping form of his wife. He opened his eyes all the way, now seeing that Katara was indeed alive and well. She lay on her side, her face towards him and a blanket covering her body. Her face was tranquil, her mind not ravaged by the darkness of unending nightmares. Her body rose and fell with the steadiness of her calm breathing. Aang smiled to himself, glad to see that his beautiful wife had not been disturbed by his sudden waking. Suddenly feeling the desire to get some fresh air, he slowly got up off the bed. He heard Katara moan as his weight left the bed, and he froze where he stood. She sleepily shifted herself, pulling the blanket closer to her body, and finally settled back into a peaceful slumber. Aang silently let out a sigh of relief, then slightly hovered above the floor as to not disturb anyone else. When he made it to the door, he softly opened it and slipped his way through, gently closing it behind him.

He turned right after exiting the room and made his way down the dim hallway. The soft moonlight streamed in through the open windows throughout the corridor, providing natural illumination for those who find themselves unable to sleep and have to walk in the night to collect their thoughts. Aang made his way to the open-air balcony at the end of the hallway and walked out into the cool night. He walked over to the right-hand side of the balcony and leaned on the railing. He looked down at the ground far below him as he thought about his nightmare. He had seen death before when he had faced Fire Nation rebels, but it had always been some unknown face being struck down by one of Aang's many allies. This was very much different than that…he had seen his own wife, the love of his soul, have her beating heart ripped out of her chest by the insane Azula. The image was too terrible for him to want to remember, but it was replaced by something far worse. He remembered how Katara had said that he failed to keep his promise, and that the world would pay the price for his mistake.

He cringed on the inside when he remembered how he had been torn out of his own body as the Dark Avatar State was activated. It felt as if he was nonexistent when the dark power was activated…as if the Dark Avatar State was another being entirely that took over Aang's body when triggered. He suddenly became afraid; would he even be in control of his actions if the Dark Avatar State was triggered again? He let out a long sigh and looked up at the moon. The celestial orb had passed from its high point in the sky and was now low on the horizon, but still just high enough to be seen before passing below the horizon. _Help me, Yue_, silently prayed Aang. _I'm afraid of this…this evil power inside of me. I can't lose Katara, or it will mean the end of the world!_ He let out a heavy sigh, feeling the entire weight of the world on his shoulders. _Please…help me…I can't do this on my own. I can't face the darkness that dwells inside of me alone…it would destroy me._ Looking pleadingly at the moon, he silently added, _Please…I've never felt this afraid in my whole life, not even when I fought Ozai. Help me!_ He waited for a response from the benevolent Moon Spirit, but there was only silence. He sighed in defeat and hung his head down, feeling completely helpless.

"I guess Sokka's snoring woke you up?" curiously asked a voice on Aang's right. He looked up to see Katara standing there, leaning against the entryway with her hands on her stomach. There was a tired look in her eyes, despite how peacefully she had been sleeping just moments before. Aang thought she looked even more beautiful at night than she did during the day, but he knew that it had to do with her being a Waterbender. Both of them also seemed slightly more restless at night, also due to their Waterbending powers. She walked over to where he was and stood next to him, her hands still supporting the child she bore in her womb.

"I wish," muttered Aang. "I'm surprised the whole city hasn't woken up to his loud mouth." Katara chuckled knowingly, and a small smile appeared on Aang's lips. Even he couldn't stay depressed when he heard her chuckle like that, for her happiness always warmed his heart. He stood up and faced her, concern in his eyes. "You shouldn't be up and about. You need to rest…for our son's sake." He placed a hand on her stomach to emphasize his point.

"Aang," she said firmly, "all I've done for the past nine months is _rest_. One time of me getting up in the middle of the night isn't going to kill our son." Her serious tone softened upon seeing the worried look in his gray eyes, and gentleness came into her eyes. She placed a hand on top of Aang's, wanting to feel closer to him. "Besides," she said quietly, "I can't sleep unless you're next to me. You know that." Aang nodded, and he remembered how in the early years of their relationship how often he had to leave on Avatar duties. He hated leaving her alone back then, for he wanted nothing than to be by her side. Every time he returned to her, she would tell him how little sleep she had gotten while he was away. He could see the worry in her eyes as she looked at him. "You look terrible," she said, noticing the heavy look in his eyes. But she could also see fear…fear unlike any she had ever seen before. "What's wrong?" she asked worriedly. "You like you've seen Koh himself."

Aang cringed at the name of the Face Stealer, but he realized that she was right. He was indeed afraid…but not of Koh. "I had a nightmare," he said with a heavy heart. "In it, I was at the Southern Air Temple…and I saw myself in the Hall of Avatars." He paused and stammered, "I-I saw myself go into the Dark Avatar State…and all the statues eye's started glowing with that black glow." He then went on to tell her of the power the not-him had unleashed with the Dark Avatar State, his own fear growing as he recounted the nightmare. He left out the part about Katara's death, for she didn't need to know that. It was too horrible and painful to even want to remember, and his wife did not need such imagery in her mind. He finished his story with the collision of the four elements at the top of the temple, and he fell silent after he was done.

After a long moment of thoughtful silence, Katara said, "I knew that the Dark Avatar State was powerful but…but that's just terrifying." She looked at him with so much love and frightened concern that he couldn't take it. He took his hand off her stomach and leaned against the railing again, his head hanging down in shame. She could see that his eyes were closed, the lids shuddering as he fought to hold back tears. Her heart ached to see him in so much pain and doubt. Nightmares had always plagued Aang in times of hardship…only this time it was much worse. She could see his knuckles turn white as his grip tightened on the railing. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. He was dealing with an issue far beyond her comprehension or understanding, and it frustrated her to no end.

Her heart completely broke when she saw tears fall out of his closed eyes, and he began shaking all over. "I was powerless to stop it," he choked out tearfully. "It just completely took over…and it was all my fault." He faltered briefly, then added, "I was a monster…a soulless, demented monster whose only purpose was destruction and death!" He shouted this last part, his frustration and anger at himself growing. He grunted and punched the railing, hating himself at the moment. "I hate this!" he shouted angrily. "I hate being afraid of myself, of thinking that if I do something wrong that I'm going to kill everyone!" He gritted his teeth out of sheer rage, the tears falling from his eyes in an unstoppable downpour.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the moon. It was if Yue herself was mocking him, making fun of his fate as the Avatar. Aang's eyebrows scrunched in anger, the rage within him threatening to burst at any moment. He felt his eyes and tattoos begin to burn as the familiar white glow of the Avatar State returned. Katara stepped back in fear, afraid of what he was going to do in his enraged state. Aang drew himself up straight, his hands clenched in shaking fists at his sides. He pointed at the moon accusingly and yelled, "I AM NOT YOUR PUPPET, CRUEL SPIRITS! YOU THINK THIS SOME SINISTER JOKE TO PLAY UPON ME, TO PLAGUE MY LIFE WITH NOTHING BUT DARKNESS AND DESPAIR!" Dropping his arm down, he looked at his open hands with wrathful eyes. He closed his hands, shaking from the power that coursed through him. He closed his eyes and raised his head to the heavens. "AHHHHH!" he screamed out of pure rage, his amplified voice resonating throughout calm night air. Katara's eyes widened in fright, holding her hands in front of her as if to ward off his anger. She had never seen him this upset before, even through all the hardships in his life.

Aang stumbled backwards, as if pushed back by an invisible force. He fell forward onto his hands and knees, the white glow vanishing as he held his head down. He sobbed bitterly, tears falling from his closed eyes. His arms and knees crumbled out from under him, and he fell on the hard stone beneath him. Katara watched with great sorrow as her Aang curled into a fetal position, his weeping tearing a hole in her heart. She slowly walked over towards him, still wary in case he should lash out at her in his grief…but she knew better than that. She could feel tears falling down her face as she carefully kneeled beside Aang. His body was shaking violently from the force of his crying, his lamentations filling the night sky with the horrible sounds of a shattered soul. She scooped up the broken Avatar in her arms, her motherly nature as well as her love for him guiding her actions. She tried hard not to let the sobs trapped in her throat break forth, for she was trying to stay strong for her husband.

She lovingly rocked back and forth with Aang in her arms, his head nestled in the crook of her neck. Her tears fell on top of his bald head, as if in an attempt to wash his sadness away. She didn't turn to face the hurried footsteps she heard behind her, for all that was in her mind was Aang. The hurried footsteps were those of Zuko, Sokka, and Gregor, for they had been woken up when Aang had screamed while he was in the Avatar State. They looked on the scene with concern and worry, and their hearts sank when they saw Katara kneeling. The three men looked at each other, as if they didn't know what to do. They turned their attention back to the kneeling Waterbender, where they heard the sobbing come from. Sokka made his way over to Katara, wondering what could have happened to Aang. When he made his way around Katara's left side, his eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the broken monk in her arms. He knelt down next to his sister and looked at her. She raised her tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze, the intense sorrow she was feeling present in her blue eyes. Feeling a sudden need to comfort the couple, he hugged his broad arms around the Avatar and the Waterbender. He leaned his head against Katara's for support, lending his comfort to two of the people closest to his heart. Zuko and Gregor came up from behind them and joined in the hug, providing the comforting warmth that radiated from their bodies. They all remained that way for a long time, not wanting to take their support from Aang during this critical time.

Suki, Mai, and Meigui appeared in the doorway, having been awakened by the men earlier. The three women looked on at the scene, and soon they understood what had happened. They all looked at each other, unsure of what to do. They looked back at the group before them, and tears began to appear in Suki and Meigui's sorrowful eyes. Even Mai seemed to feel something, for she could feel her eyes begin to sting. The women looked back at each other, now sure that they had to do something. They walked over to the group and stooped down, joining in the group hug. Soon, Suki and Meigui began crying, the pain they felt for their friend too much to contain anymore.

In the distance, Yue watched as the Avatar was comforted by his friends. Tears fell from her heavenly eyes as she felt the Avatar's sorrow in his wretched sobbing. She closed her eyes and dropped her beautiful head, lips trembling with guilt and regret. "I'm sorry, Aang," she said sadly, glistening droplets of sorrow trailing down her celestial face.

* * *

><p>The sun peeked over the horizon and began climbing skyward, filling the Airbender valley with the red rays of dawn. As the sun continued to rise to its full spherical shape, the light that it emanated made Gufeng look as if it were burning, a grim reminder of the bloody past of the Air Nomads. The sunlight glistened off the polished marble stones of the temples, showing off their magnificence. Several loud growls could be heard in the calm morning air as several Sky Bison took to the air, the great beasts marveling in their Spirit-given gift of Airbending. Drones of flying Lemurs took to the air as well, their incessant chattering a light accompaniment to the heavy booming voices of the Sky Bison. Many Air Nomads had already awakened, quiet as they began their morning meditations in their temples.<p>

Back in Team Avatar's living quarters, everyone else had awakened to face the new day. Aang and Katara sat on their bed, his gaze on the floor as she looked at him with uneasiness and concern. She held his hands in hers, not wanting to let go of him after what had happened just hours before. Everyone else stood around them, looking on at Aang and Katara with worrisome expressions. Katara had just finished telling them about Aang's nightmare and his breakdown, the Avatar keeping quiet the whole time as he looked at the floor in shame. There was a long moment of silence after she had finished, the reality of what had happened sinking into their minds.

Seeking to break the ice, Sokka said, "Aang, you don't have to talk to the Council. You should just stay here with Katara and take it easy…you had a pretty rough night." He silently rebuked himself; 'pretty rough' was a grave understatement. He just couldn't find the right words to say at the moment. Suki was standing next to him, a look of shared concern in her warrior eyes. She had never seen Aang look so depressed before, not even when Appa had been stolen by Sandbenders all those years ago. It was almost as if a shadow had snuffed out the brightness of his happy soul, leaving nothing but the hollow shell of an Avatar behind.

Aang sighed heavily and, looking up at Sokka, said, "No Sokka. I have to try and convince the Council to let the Air Nomads fight by our side. It's something that has to be done…I can't just give up because I had a meltdown." His voice brimmed with defiance, despite the ache that had taken hold of his heart. "I have to do my duty as the Avatar and-" But Sokka cut him off in the middle of his protest.

"Forget it Aang!" shouted Sokka. "You're in no condition to be talking to a bunch of old guys about the fate of the world!" He gestured to the window and added, "You were yelling at the moon, accusing the Spirits of ruining your life! You know Yue wouldn't do that sort of thing, yet you seem content to yell at her in the Avatar State for something she didn't do!" A pained look shot through Aang's eyes, and he averted his eyes from Sokka' accusing gaze. Katara shot a venomous look at her brother, stabbing him with the coldness of her eyes.

"Sokka!" shouted Suki, appalled at her boyfriend's behavior. The Water Tribe Warrior shot a look at her, a serious look in his hard blue eyes. "Don't yell at Aang for what happened last night!" Gesturing to Aang, she added, "Can't you see how much pain he's in?" Pointing an angry finger at Sokka, she said angrily, "I'd like to see you have the same nightmare he had and try to come out unharmed. You'd go _insane_ just from sheer fright! You have no idea of what he's going through right now!" As she said this, Sokka's eyes softened. A look of regret came over this, obviously feeling terrible about what he had just done.

"You're right…" he admitted remorsefully, and his girlfriend's anger subsided as her eyes softened. He turned back to Aang and said, "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me…I should know better than to yell at you…" Katara's eyes softened as her brother apologized to her husband, and she silently forgave him for his hardness. Despite how much her brother could make her mad sometimes, she still loved her older brother with all her heart. She knew every family had its fights and arguments, but they always made up for their mistakes with heartfelt apologies.

"It's fine Sokka…" replied Aang quietly, and Katara looked at him. He kept his head hung down, his depression still heavy on his soul. Looking up at his warrior friend, he said, "I understand your concern for me, but I have to try talking to the Council again." He paused as he thought of something. "Katara and I will talk to the Council and see what we can do. The rest of you should take a walk around Gufeng and enjoy yourselves. This is a great opportunity for you to learn about my people." Seeing everyone's concerned eyes on him, he added, "Go on. Don't let me stop you from having fun while we're all here."

"Well…" said Gregor hesitantly, who was by the doorway with Meigui. Everyone looked at him as he said, "There was something that I wanted to show Meigui." The red-headed Earthbender blushed at his words, but she still smiled at the Firebender. "You guys go ahead and go through with your plans for today; Meigui and I will catch up with you all later." The two said their goodbyes to everyone, then walked out through the door.

"If you say so, Aang," said Sokka. "Come on, guys. Let's leave these two lovebirds alone." Aang and Katara both blushed, causing everyone to chuckle. "I'm only kidding," chuckled Sokka. As he walked by Aang, he placed a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, buddy," said Sokka as the two looked each other in the eye. Aang nodded, and Sokka patted the Avatar's shoulder. He took his hand off and made his way out the door.

Suki was next, giving Aang a warm hug before she left. "We're all here for you, Aang," she said softly into his ear. "If you need anything, just let us know." She gave him a quick but tight squeeze before she exited the room.

Toph walked up to him and said, "Try to get better, Twinkle Toes. You're not the kind who stays easily depressed." She smiled and added with a light punch to his arm, "You'll be back to your goofy self in no time." Aang and Katara smiled kindly at Toph's show of affection, and she walked out of the room. Dreo gave a quick nod of acknowledgment to the Avatar before he slipped out behind Toph, and Aang knew that the young man felt uncomfortable in this kind of situation.

"Go get 'em," said Zuko with a confident smile as he patted Aang on the shoulder. "Show them what you're made of. Never back down, and never give in." The two men nodded firmly at each other, and the Fire Lord left the room. The Fire Lady gave him a soft smile, the utmost extent of her levels of affection, before she left the room as well.

Ursa, who was carrying Sun Tzu, stopped before Aang and said kindly, "You will live to see happier days, Avatar. Never lose hope, and never doubt yourself. Always remember who you are and what you fight for." Aang nodded at Ursa's words, taking them to heart. The child in her arms tugged at her sleeve, indicating that he wanted to be put down. The gentle woman obliged and set the young boy down on the floor. Sun Tzu walked up to Aang and gave him a big hug, his little arms wrapping around the Avatar's waist. The three adults looked down in surprise at the small child's gesture.

"I hope you feel better soon, Uncle Aang," said the little boy, and the three adults happily smiled at him. Aang was touched by Sun Tzu's action, and a small light broke through the darkness that had enveloped his soul. Sun Tzu came out of the hug and walked back over to his grandmother, who took his hand as the two left the room. Soon only Aang and Katara were left in the room. She looked over at her husband and saw his eyes water with happiness. She smiled to herself; there was hope for him after all, and she knew that his depression would not last.

But her happiness was short lived, for the sad look returned to Aang's eyes once more. The shadow once again covered his soul, sending him into the abyss of despair. He looked down at the ground again, blinking to get rid of the wetness that had sprung up in his eyes. She frowned at his sullen expression, trying to think of something to help him. "Are you feeling any better?" she asked, concern seeping into her angelic voice.

Aang sighed and said unconvincingly, "A little bit..." He closed his eyes in the midst of his misery, fighting to not let his depression overcome him completely…though he was fighting a losing battle. "I'm scared of this power inside of me…of what it can do if it's unleashed again…" He felt tears of sorrow fall down his face as he remembered the horrid nightmare, the very thing that assaulted his mind so mercilessly. "I'm afraid that when…when it happens again…that I'll have to face it alone…and that there's nothing you can do to help me." He felt Katara's hands leave his and touch his cheeks, her hands bringing his head about to face her. He felt his forehead touch hers and her arms wrap tightly around his neck in an embrace. Both had their eyes closed, letting only love speak for them at the moment.

"Aang…" she said quietly, "you don't have to face this darkness alone. You have friends who love you and will do anything to help you. You have me, the woman who loves you with her whole heart and soul and will never abandon you to the shadows that lurk within you. I will always hold you in my heart and shield you from the threat of this dark power. You are my whole world…_you_ are the reason I exist. We are in this together until the very end, and I will never leave you in either life or death. This darkness shall not consume you…it shall not become who you are. You are greater than the darkness, for you are the light of hope that shines in the lives of everyone in the world. Never forget that, my love; never give up on yourself…for if you have no hope, then what is left for us in this world?" Tears streamed down both of their faces, their intense love overwhelming their souls. "I love you, Aang. I love you and I will always be by your side, even if it is to the darkest places of this world. I eternally love you, my Aang…my one and only Aang."

"I eternally love you, my Katara…" choked out Aang. "My one…and only Katara." The love he felt for her at the moment was too much to contain, and tears poured down his face once more. He felt more connected with her at that moment than in his entire life with her, and all dark thoughts were pushed from his mind. They remained in that position for almost ten minutes, both keeping silent as their souls bonded and fortified their connection with nothing but the purest of love. Finally, they both opened their eyes at the same time and looked at each other. In that moment, it was as if two hearts had become one. They felt each other's emotions: love, pain, worry, concern, fear, sadness, and hope. Katara took her arms from around Aang's neck and slowly bent the tears off their faces with graceful movements of her hands, slowly collecting the moisture into a ball. Aang watched as the small sphere of liquid turned into a heart, the same trick he had used on her the day before. He couldn't help but smile at the tiny symbol of love, and he looked affectionately into Katara's eyes. "No fair," he said teasingly, bringing a happy smile to her face.

Katara twirled her hands slowly, making the heart grow larger as she drew in more moisture from the air. Holding her hands on either side of the heart, she split it in two and enveloped her hands with water. She placed her hands on either side of Aang's head, closing her eyes in concentration as the liquid on her hands began to glow with a healing light. Aang closed his eyes as he heard the glowing liquid hum, clearing his mind of all the pain and darkness that had enveloped him in the last few hours. He could feel the light pouring in, driving away the shadow of fear. He began to relax, feeling nothing but relief as Katara healed his mind. The humming ceased, the water evaporating into thin air as Katara dropped her arms and held Aang's hands again. Both of them opened their eyes and looked at one another again, bright smiles on their faces. "Thank you," he gratefully, touched by her kind act.

"You're very welcome," replied Katara gladly, her smile widening as she gazed lovingly into his eyes. They stared at each other for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's presence. Words were not needed, for their actions spoke for them. Finally, Katara said, "We should get going. We have a long day ahead of us." Aang nodded and stood up, taking time to help his wife up from their bed. The two then exited the room and made their way to the Council Chambers, walking hand-in-hand the whole way. Soon they entered the open-air courtyard of the elders, steeling themselves for another difficult day with the Monk Council. They could see the five elders seated on their cushion seats, eyes closed and fists together in meditation.

Qiufeng felt their presence and, without opening his eyes, said, "Good morning, Avatar Aang and Lady Katara. I trust you slept well." Before Aang could reply, the elder said, "I can sense that something was troubling you, young Avatar…but it seems that the darkness that clouded your mind has been lifted by healing hands…most likely those of your wife." Aang and Katara's eyes widened in surprise, and the elder Airbender smiled. "Before you ask how I know this, it was because I heard your scream of agony last night…most likely when you entered the Avatar State and yelled at the Moon Spirit." Aang's eyes drifted to the stone floor, reminded of his horrid nightmare and emotional breakdown last night. Katara looked at her husband with worry, and squeezed his hand for comfort. "Forgive me," said the monk without breaking his concentration. "I meant no offense in my knowledge of last night's events. Through my meditation, the great Wind Spirits have revealed to me the cause of your pain." Opening his eyes and, looking at the Avatar and the Waterbender, said, "I offer you my condolences, Avatar." Qiufeng and the other elders came out of their meditative postures, sitting normally on their cushions as Aang and Katara looked at them. "Now what is on your minds, young ones?" He chuckled and added, "Although I may already know, if my memory of yesterday is still clear in my feeble mind." That brought out a smile from both Aang and Katara; even though the elder had refused to lend them the aid of the Air Nomads, he was still willing to talk to them.

Before Aang and Katara could begin talking, a voice came from the right-hand side of the entryway. "Qiufeng? Are you up here?" asked the voice, which sounded very similar to that of the elder's, but in a slighter younger tone. Everyone in the room turned to look at the source of the voice, but no one was there.

Qiufeng smiled, obviously knowing who the voice belonged to, and said, "I'm in here." Turning his attention to Aang and Katara, who looked back him in confusion, said, "Avatar Aang and Lady Katara, may I introduce to you my younger brother." Looking to the doorway, he called out, "Taifeng! Come on in, little brother, and show yourself to the Avatar and his wife." Letting go of each other's hands, Aang and Katara turned around as everyone looked to the doorway for the Airbender to make his entrance.

"Certainly, big brother…" said Taifeng mysteriously. He walked in from the right side of the entryway…and everything changed in that moment. Walking into the sunlight, Aang and Katara's eyes widened at the sight of the Airbender. He wore the regular robes of an Air Nomad monk, but where the orange had been…it was dyed as black as a moonless night. Royal purple had replaced the yellow on the robe, a dark companion to the cold-hearted black. But the truly horrible aspect of the Airbender was his arrows, for they were not dyed blue...but dyed the same purple of his clothing. He had hard and sharp silver eyes, as if he could cut you just by looking at you. An evil smile was on his face, and darkness was in his eyes. Qiufeng raised an eyebrow in confusion, obviously surprised at his brother's strange appearance. Looking at Aang, he coldly said, "What do you think, mighty Avatar?" He chuckled maliciously, his sharp eyes cutting through Aang's mind.

"No…" whispered Aang in shock, fear and disbelief paralyzing his body. He refused to believe what he was seeing, but the truth was undeniable. The Dark Legion had infiltrated the Air Nomad city of Gufeng…and now they had recruited Airbenders to their dark campaign.

* * *

><p>"What is that you want to show me, Gregor?" asked Meigui cheerfully, giggling as the Firebender led her down the main stairwell of the temple. He didn't respond to her question, so she pressed her attack. "You're certainly being very secretive today," she chuckled. "Can't you give me a hint?" she asked pleadingly, a puppy dog look entering her green eyes.<p>

"Nope," replied Gregor, a mysterious yet teasing smile on his face as he faced her. He wasn't about to be lured in and tell his secret to her. "It's a surprise," he added, giving her a playful wink of his golden eye. Meigui giggled again, feeling giddy in anticipation of his surprise. Soon they made it down to the main level of Dakong Si, and Gregor led Meigui to the same open courtyard that he and Dreo had sparred in. Gesturing to the open expanse before them, he said proudly, "Here we are."

Meigui looked around, not seeing anything remotely interesting…or even anything at all. She was beginning to think that Gregor had something else in store than just the location he had chosen. A teasing smile came over her face as she looked at Gregor and jokingly said, "I'm guessing the surprise is the architecture of this courtyard." Gregor rolled his eyes as he dropped his arms by his side, causing her to chuckle mischievously.

"No," he replied unamusingly. Motioning to the courtyard, he said, "You have to look beyond appearances and beyond boundaries. You see an empty courtyard…but I see the possibility for great potential to be unleashed." He smiled, enjoying how cryptic he was making his surprise. He always loved surprises, for they gave him the chance to show how truly ingenious he was. He made his way to the middle of the courtyard, leaving Meigui behind in the entryway.

"Well, where is this 'great potential' that you see?" she asked jokingly as she looked around. "I'm not really seeing anything, so you either have the eyes of a messenger hawk or the sun is playing tricks on you." She chuckled as she continued her teasing the Firebender. She enjoyed poking fun at her noble friend, for he always took it in good stride. But she found herself growing even more curious, wondering why he chose this place to show her something.

"Just stand there and watch," he said, causing Meigui to sigh with playful impatience. He chuckled and stood up straight, ready to show his friend why he had brought her here. He closed his eyes, focusing on the task ahead of him. He could feel the heat of the sun within his body, his inner fire being stoked by the chi flowing through his body. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, tilting his head back slightly as his inner fire powered up. Snapping his eyes open, he stepped forward and shot a fireball from his fists. He immediately reached out with his chi and grabbed the fireball, pulling it back towards him. He spun his arms, the fireball looping just in front of him. Bringing his hands down in an arc, he sent the burning sphere slamming into the ground. As the flames dissipated, he spun around in continuous roundhouse kicks, shooting fire out of his feet in blazing arcs. His spins were graceful, his kicks exerting their power as they flew through the air. Landing back on his feet, he began spinning a ball of flame in his hands. He twisted his arms off to the side and the fire blazed through his arms. The fire followed his every command as he made the flames flow around his body.

Meigui was impressed at the power he displayed in his movements, his strong arms and legs blazing with crackling flames. She watched in amazement as he shot up into the air on a jet of flame, spreading his arms out to the side and spewing fire out of his hands like the wings of a phoenix. She had always thought of fire as nothing but destruction…now she could see the beauty and life that burned inside of every Firebender. Bringing his hands back down, the wings of flame folded in on itself. Landing back on the ground, he let the roaring flames whip around his body with the flowing movement of his hands. He split the flames in half, circling each arc up and around his body like twin serpents. He wrapped the serpentine flames around his arms, creating fire whips that he sent snapping in front of him. He drew in the whips into a ball of flame between two cupped hands, his golden eyes shining with the light of his flames. He charged the fireball for several seconds, then launched it into the air with a grunted shout. Meigui watched in awe as the fireball exploded in mid-air, crackling like a firework as sparkles showered down around Gregor. The Firebender stood back up straight, exhaling deeply as he calmed his inner fire.

Meigui began clapping in approval, a bright smile on her face. Gregor turned to face her, a proud smile on his face as he bowed to his private audience of one. "That was wonderful!" she exclaimed happily as she stopped clapping and started walking towards Gregor. The Firebender came out of his bow and smiled at her as she came up next to him. "I had no idea that you were so powerful and elegant at the same time," she happily added, adoration for his skills sparkling in her verdant eyes. Gregor shrugged nonchalantly, a confident smirk on his face as he listened to her praise. "But why did you want to show me that?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Suddenly Gregor's demeanor changed, his confidence turning to surprise and, eventually, slight embarrassment.

"Well…" he said at length, "the Firebenders of my home land have a tradition…" He shifted nervously, feeling very awkward all of a sudden. Meigui wondered what could have possibly caused him to act like this. "If a Firebender has their eye on someone…no that's not it…um, what I mean to say is…uh…" He rubbed the back of his head timidly, an uneasy look in his usually-strong eyes. Meigui could feel her heart racing as she realized what Gregor was trying to say. "If a Firebender wishes to gain the attention of someone they care about or…have feelings for…they put on a display of their bending skills in order to impress that person…and gain their approval. It's an extremely personal act that involves putting the Firebender's whole being into that display of…" He gulped and said the word, "…affection." Both of them blushed at the same time, suddenly feeling something stir inside of them.

"I had no idea…" whispered Meigui as they slowly leaned towards each other. "All of that…just for me?" she asked in quiet disbelief. He nodded, and her blush reddened even more…but she rather liked it. Both of their hearts were thumping loudly as they began to close their eyes, their lips slowly approaching each other until…_CLAP_-_CLAP-CLAP_. The sound of slow clapping brought them back into reality, their eyes opening in surprise as they looked behind Gregor to see the source of the clapping. They watched as a figure stepped out of the shadows of the arches and into the light, the rhythmic clapping of hands echoing through the courtyard.

Gregor's eyes widened when he saw that the figure was none other than Captain Kongju, the Red Demon of the Dark Legion. Gregor immediately took up a fighting stance in front of Meigui, one fist extended in front of him while the other was held in reserve by his head, both fists held vertically. He kept his golden eyes fixed upon the evil red eyes of his former comrade of the Hundred Years' War, a smug smile on the Red Demon's face. "Very impressive indeed, High-General Gregor," said Kongju in an icy tone as he stopped clapping and put his hands behind his back.

"What are you doing here, Kongju?" asked Gregor in a serious tone, getting straight to the point.

Kongju shook his head disappointedly and said, "Tsk tsk, Gregor. I thought you had more manners than that, my old friend. I am simply here on business with some new friends of my master." Gregor and Meigui were surprised when he said this. Had some Airbenders joined the Dark Legion? Why else would he be here? Kongju looked behind Gregor and caught sight of Meigui, his evil smile reappearing on his demonic face. "Ah, if it isn't the infamous Rose of Darkness. Such an honor to meet you again, my dear." He bowed to her, earning a surprised look from Gregor. Meigui averted her eyes from the dark man, afraid to even look at him. As he came out of his bow, he saw that Gregor had come out of his fighting stance and turned to face Meigui with shocked eyes. ""We've been keeping an eye on you, if what my Dai Li trackers in Ba Sing Se have told me is true," he said, but neither of Gregor or Meigui seemed to be listening. "Come on, Meigui," he chided. "Aren't you happy to see me again?" He chuckled malevolently as Gregor looked at Meigui in disbelief, the red haired Earthbender looking at the ground in shame.

"Meigui…" said Gregor in shock, not believing what he was hearing. Disbelief turned to anger as he clenched his fists, shaking with the fury he now felt towards his friend. "You work for the Dark Legion?" he shouted at the top of his lungs, causing Meigui to look at him in fear. The flames of hatred sprang up in Gregor's golden eyes, his teeth grit in anger at Meigui.

"Actually, you're wrong," corrected Kongju. Gregor whipped his head around to look at the evil Firebender, anger burning bright in his eyes. "She _used_ to work for us…and judging by your reaction, she hasn't told you about her past dealings with us." Gregor's eyes widened, realizing that this was her horrible secret. "A few years ago, Jiliu and I were looking around Ba Sing Se for Earthbender recruits for the Dark Legion. We needed skilled Earthbenders to help us find the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness, for we were seeking the Death Rubies. One day, we came upon the Jasmine Dragon and saw Meigui serving tea there. Later that day, we cornered her in a dark alley. We knew that she was an Earthbender because of her father, who was a Captain in the Earth Kingdom's Army during The War. We told her that we were a rebel group and that we needed her help in fighting against the Fire Nation."

He smiled evilly as he said, "She gladly took our offer, wanting revenge on the Fire Nation, and set out that night to train with the Dai Li, who had joined our cause a year prior. Over the next several months, her Earthbending improved immensely…she was even able to hold her own against Long Feng. If you've seen Jiliu's face, you will see the scar that was the result of a spar between him and Meigui." He paused and added, "A few months after her Earthbending training was complete, we put her to work digging through the underground of Ba Sing Se. We told her that we were looking for something that would help us defeat the Fire Nation once and for all. One day, she broke through to the Chasm, finally achieving our goal. We immediately sent one Death Ruby off to the Emperor to show him that we had succeeded…although it wasn't until recently that we decided to harvest them en masse due to unforeseen complications. The day after she found the Chasm, we discharged her from our ranks, saying that she had played her part."

"That's a lie!" screamed Meigui, who had been silent throughout Kongju's story. She looked at Gregor and said pleadingly, "Please, you have to understand…they paid me for my services, but I got rid of the money after I left!" Gregor was silent as he looked down at the ground, a dark look in his eyes. "I know I did it for revenge," continued Meigui as her voice began cracking, "but I was so angry at the time that I wasn't thinking straight and-"

"That's enough," said Gregor flatly as he cut her off, all emotion gone from his voice. Meigui looked at him with surprise in her eyes. "I can't believe I trusted you…" he said angrily, the betrayal clear in his voice. "And to think I almost…" he couldn't finish his sentence as he mentally said, _kissed you_.

"Please…" begged Meigui as tears sprung into her eyes. As her voice cracked, she said, "I know what I did was wrong…but you told me that you would never hate me for anything that I did in the past." She couldn't believe what was happening; the man who had she started feeling something for was turning away from her. He had put so much of himself into his art to impress her, and now he felt like she had betrayed him.

"That was before I learned that you helped the Dark Legion find the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness," replied Gregor in a dark tone. He looked at Meigui, his hard golden eyes staring straight into her sad green eyes. "You helped our enemy…_my _enemy find something that would give them limitless power. I can never forgive you for what you did." As he said this, tears poured out of Meigui's eyes. He could see the pain and anguish on her face, but his own heart had turned to stone. His inner fire grew cold, weakened by the absence of emotion from his mind. "Goodbye…_traitor_," he said venomously as he began walking away to the entryway they had come through, not even looking at her as he walked by.

She turned and watched with miserable eyes as he strolled past her, her heart breaking into tiny pieces. She could feel his pain…the pain that she had caused him. He was her closest friend, and now they were drifting apart. "Gregor…" she said wretchedly. She started walking towards him and reached out to touch his shoulder…anything to stop what was happening before her eyes.

Gregor heard her walking up from behind him, and suddenly something snapped inside of him. "Get away from me!" he shouted as he spun around, shooting flames from his hand just in front of Meigui. The Earthbender jumped back in fear of getting burned, and when the flames dissipated she looked at him. His face was contorted in a snarl as he looked at her, his golden eyes burning with rage. She was afraid of this fire, for it burned through her hotter than the flames he threw at her. It seared her soul without mercy, punishing her for her past crimes. "I never want to speak to you again!" he yelled, anger consuming his mind. "I HATE YOU!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, completely breaking Meigui's soul in two as her tears cascaded down her face. He stormed out of the courtyard, leaving a shattered Meigui and smiling Kongju behind.

Meigui let out a choked sob as she fell to her knees, burying her face in her hands as she bitterly wept. Kongju chuckled coldly as he looked on, obviously pleased with the result of his diabolical task. "It seems that my work is here is done," he said conclusively, stepping back into the shadows as he laughed manically. Meigui continued sobbing, shattered by Gregor's anger towards her. She was unable to move in her grief, her sorrow pouring out of her jade eyes as she cried uncontrollably.

* * *

><p>The rest of Team Avatar made their way through the city of Gufeng, having left Aang, Katara, Gregor, and Meigui back at Dakong Si. Sokka led the group on through the city, obviously excited to be walking around and enjoying the sights. Everywhere around them were stone houses where the Air Nomads (at least those who didn't live in the temples) resided, flowing orange tapestry hanging on the outside of the homes. A couple of blocks away, the group could see a fountain in a large public square. As they walked along, Air Nomads on both sides of the cobblestone street greeted them with friendly waves (which Sokka enthusiastically returned with a cheery smile). Turning his head back to group, he happily said, "Isn't this great? This place is so peaceful!"<p>

Zuko, who was just behind Sokka, looked at him incredulously and said, "That's what worries me." He looked around at Air Nomads with suspicious eyes, saying, "There's something going on here…and I don't like it."

"Oh come on, Zuko," said Sokka. "Even you, Mr. High-strung Fire Lord, can relax in a place like this." Zuko slightly scowled at Sokka, unconvinced that the city was entirely safe. Suki smiled at her boyfriend, glad to see him in such a good mood. She had already forgiven Sokka for yelling at Aang earlier, and she knew that he was only looking out for Aang's wellbeing. But there was something bothering her in the back of her mind…maybe it was the way he had defended Yue, the girl who had been Sokka's first love and the current Moon Spirit. She frowned slightly; maybe even after all this time, he still hasn't let go of her. Suki shook that thought out of her; she knew that Sokka loved her with all his heart and that he wants to be with her forever. But the possibility of Sokka's grieving for Yue still lurked at the back of her mind, a constant buzz that refused to go away.

I gotta agree with Sokka on this one, Sparky," chimed in Toph, who was walking behind Zuko with Dreo. "Even the ground is calm…I've never felt a place as tranquil as Gufeng." She paused and added, "Besides, I can sense trouble a mile away. There's no chance of anyone sneaking up on us." _Unless they come from above_, she silently added.

"Thank you, Toph," said Sokka cheerily. He turned around and began walking backwards, still talking to the group. Gesturing with his arms and looking around, he said, "We don't have to worry about constantly running for our lives or fighting the Dark Legion at every turn, and I for one like that very much." Looking back at the group, he began to say, "And besides, what could possibly…go…wrong…" He faltered as he saw the group stop walking, nervous looks on their faces. He raised in eyebrow in confusion and asked, "What's wrong with all of you?" He felt small gusts of air hitting his back, dozens of light puffs buffeting him.

"Um…Sokka?" said Zuko hesitantly, motioning behind the Water Tribe Warrior with his head. Sokka slowly closed his eyes as he turned his head, and when he opened them he saw what everyone was apprehensive about. They had made it to the fountain in the square, which was empty…except for the figures softly landing in front of the fountain. There were about twenty men, all dressed in the robes of Air Nomads. Looking more closely, Sokka now saw the danger…these Air Nomads were dressed in the colors of the Dark Legion, with purple arrows adorning their bald heads.

Sokka gulped nervously, sweat appearing on his brow. _Ah nuts_, he thought to himself. _Out of the frying pan and into the fire_…he added glumly. Looking back to the group, he made eye contact with Suki. He mouthed the words, "Get Ursa and Sun Tzu out of here and find Aang." Suki nodded, turning to Ursa and Sun Tzu. The former Fire Nation Princess looked at the Kyoshi warrior and nodded, picking up Sun Tzu in her arms. The three started running back to Dakong Si, leaving the rest of the group behind at the fountain. Sokka suddenly thought of an idea, something to distract the Dark Legion Airbenders from Suki and Ursa. He put on a cheery smile and spun around to the Air Nomads, saying "Hey guys! How's it going?" The rest of the group looked at Sokka in disbelief; what was he doing?

"Sokka!" hissed Zuko behind clenched teeth as he and the rest of the group dropped into fighting stances. "What in the name of Agni are you doing?"

Sokka ignored the Fire Lord and kept his cheery smile on his face, nervous sweat pouring down his brow. Putting his hand thoughtfully to his chin, he said, "You know, I'm really liking this new color scheme you've got going on here. Very original and fiercely bold…I love it!" He dropped his hand down to his side and began casually walking over to the Dark Legion Airbenders, earning surprised and shock looks from his teammates.

"Snoozles!" quietly shouted Toph. "Don't be an idiot! Get your dumb butt back here!" Sokka went on ignoring his teammates as he walked to the enemy Airbenders, their hard eyes on the Water Tribe Warrior.

Stopping next to the lead Airbender, he took up a piece of the black cloth in his hand and said, "This nice black color totally helps you stand out in the bright sun. It's like your way of saying 'Look at me, world! I'm awesome!'" Zuko face palmed, groaning at Sokka's idea of a distraction. The lead Airbender kept his eyes on Sokka, dark intent glowing in them. Sokka kept on going, now picking up the purple cloth in his hand and saying, "This purple goes real well with the black. Very unique choice, if I do say so myself." The Airbender raised an eyebrow in confusion. Dropping the cloth, he rubbed the Airbender's bald head and said, "I gotta say, the purple arrow is also another _really_ nice touch. Blue is so out of style." The Airbender growled at him, his teeth turning into a snarl. "And you know what I think?" asked Sokka. "I think I should RUN!" Sokka took off running towards his friends, but he didn't get far. The lead Airbender shouted and made an upward sweeping motion with his arms, the air around him circling over his arms and hitting Sokka in the back.

"Gah!" cried out Sokka as he went flying, his feet lifted off the ground. He shot up into the air on a gust of wind, screaming as he flew almost thirty feet in the air. Dreo instantly jumped into the air and grabbed Sokka, gently falling to the ground next to their teammates. "Thanks, Dreo," said Sokka weakly, still shaken up by his unexpected flight. Sokka drew his sword as Dreo returned to his fighting stance. The Dark Legion Airbenders smiled maliciously as they began walking forward, eager to take on the Avatar's friends. Team Avatar braced itself for combat, ready to drive the evil Airbenders out of Gufeng.

Suddenly a fireball shot in front of the Airbenders from the right side, exploding just in front of them. A surprised look came across everyone's faces, and they looked to see who had shot the fireball. Standing there in an alleyway was Gregor, his fist still smoking from his attack. He resumed his fighting stance, golden eyes burning with wild fury. The remaining members of Team Avatar had never seen such an intense anger emanating from his body, and they wondered what could have possibly caused this violent change in him. "Get away from my friends!" he shouted angrily at the Airbenders. He punched several fireballs at the enemy, who swiftly dodged with their Airbending. He shouted and ran at the Airbenders, fire daggers sprouting from his fists as he advanced. Four Airbenders stepped forward and spun around, shooting air blasts from their open palms. The air struck Gregor, lifting him high into the air as his fire daggers were extinguished.

The Firebender quickly reacted, righting himself as jets of fire shot out of his feet. He flew out of the streaming air and above the Airbenders, avoiding compressed balls of air that the enemy shot up at him. Gregor shouted again, shooting streams of fire from his clawed hands as he flew above the evil men. Three Airbenders were struck by his flames, their clothes burning as they screamed in pain and fled from the Firebender's wrath. Gregor brought his hands together, producing a small but intense fire bomb. Shutting off his jets, he shouted as he dropped and slammed his fists into the ground as he landed in the midst of the enemy. The fire bomb exploded, sending several Airbenders flying backwards from the blast. The smoke cleared, revealing a snarling Gregor with fists clenched. He yelled as his armor burst into flames, giving him a fearsome look while yet not destroying his armor. Sokka looked on in amazement and said, "I don't think he needs our help." The others nodded in agreement as the remaining six Airbenders jumped back into the fray, spiraling their arms as small cyclones shot out from their arms. Many of the others had fled after the explosion, regrouping with the main contingent of Dark Legion Airbenders somewhere else in the city.

Gregor drew the fire that burned on his armor to his hands, streaming the flames around him into a fire shield. The flames blocked the cyclones, sucking the air out of the cyclones and causing them to dissipate. Gregor stood up and pushed his arms outward, sending out the shield in a massive firewall. The remaining Airbenders jumped out of the way of the firewall and fled, retreating to join their comrades elsewhere. The flames subsided, leaving a stunned Team Avatar to look at a lone Gregor. They could see the rage in his eyes, a fire that burned out of control. The noble Firebender looked around, searching for any foes for him to unleash his anger on. Seeing none, he stood up straight and exhaled deeply. He looked at his friends and firmly said, "We need to search the city for anymore Dark Legion Airbenders. I have a feeling there's going to be a lot more of them than what we saw here." He started to walk off, heading around the fountain.

"Wait," called out Zuko, causing Gregor to stop. "How did you know we were in danger? And where's Meigui? Wasn't she with you at the temple?" Gregor didn't turn around to face them, his back still to them. Something changed within him, a darker side of Gregor that none of them had seen before. He clenched his fists, which began burning in the midst of his anger.

"Captain Kongju showed up at the temple," he coldly replied, causing surprised looks to appear on the faces of his teammates. "Meigui and I saw him...and then he talked to us." He remembered Kongju's tale of Meigui's past dealings with the Dark Legion, and his wrath at the Earthbender grew in its ferocity. "I won't tell you what he said…not yet. Meigui is back at the temple…" He turned back to his teammates as he extinguished his hands and said, "We should get moving…we have a lot of work to do." He turned back around and walked around the fountain, the rest of his teammates following him.

"What's with him?" asked Sokka to Zuko nervously. The Fire Lord shrugged with uncertainty and continued walking on. Toph, Dreo, and Mai followed Zuko and Gregor as Sokka turned to face Dakong Si. He thought about Aang and Katara, who were still there. _I hope they're OK…_ he thought to himself before he ran off to catch up with the others.

* * *

><p>"Get behind me, Katara," Aang told his wife, who obeyed without question. She stood behind the Avatar as he spread his arms in front of her, fiercely determined to protect his love from Taifeng. The evil Airbender simply chuckled, amused at his foe's attempt to protect the Waterbender.<p>

"Taifeng, what is the meaning of this?" asked Qiufeng in his confusion. The other elders looked on at Taifeng with the same confusion, obviously stunned by his appearance. Taifeng began laughing hysterically, as if what his older brother had asked was utterly ridiculous. A few moments later, he stopped laughing and smiled manically at the people before him.

"Isn't it quite obvious, _brother_?" he asked with an icy venom in his voice. "I've sworn my loyalty to the Dark Legion!" He began laughing again, showing his dark side to everyone present. Aang couldn't believe what he was hearing; some of his own people, the peaceful Air Nomads, had joined the evil and corrupt Dark Legion. How could this have happened?

"Why?" asked Aang as Taifeng kept laughing. "Why would you betray your own people…_our_ people…to join the Dark Legion?" Taifeng immediately stopped laughing and stared cruelly at the Avatar, sheer hatred in his silver eyes. The dark Airbender snarled, his face contorted in anger. Aang widened his protective stance in front of Katara, who was looking fearfully at the Dark Legion Airbender.

"I am not the traitor!" shouted Taifeng. Pointing at the Monk Council, he said accusingly, "_They_ are the traitors! _They_ are the reason why justice has not come to the Air Nomads!" He moved his accusing finger to Aang and added, "_You_ are the reason for the downfall of the Air Nomads! Your cowardice over one hundred years ago is why the Fire Nation slaughtered us so easily!"

"How dare you!" shouted Katara from behind Aang, earning her an angry look from Taifeng. "Aang is the reason why the Air Nomads still exist! Because the world believed that the Air Nomads were extinct except for him, he kept the Fire Nation from searching for the survivors for over one hundred years!"

"He is still weak!" protested Taifeng. "He should be punished for his spinelessness, not welcomed into our city like a conquering hero!" A dark look entered his eyes as he said, "But my new master will destroy all weakness in the world…starting with you, Avatar." He shouted and began spinning his arms, whipping up a fearsome wind. Aang braced himself, but the attack never came. A gust of wind surged on either side of him, heading straight for Taifeng. The wind hit Taifeng and threw him against the far wall, causing the evil Airbender to grunt as he fell to the floor. Aang and Katara looked behind them to see Qiufeng standing up in a fighting stance, his arms extended in front of him.

The elder monk drew himself up, hardness and betrayal filling his storm gray eyes. He looked at his evil sibling and firmly said, "Taifeng, because of your traitorous actions against the Air Nomads and the Avatar, you and your accomplices are hereby banished from Gufeng." Seeing the rage in his brother's eyes, he added, "You have made your choice…and now I will make mine: The Air Nomads who have not betrayed us will fight alongside the Avatar and his allies against the forces of the Dark Legion." Aang and Katara happily smiled, glad that Qiufeng had finally decided to lend his support.

Taifeng was furious, his teeth clenched in rage. As he stood back up, a voice called out from the hallway, "Aang!" Everyone looked at the entryway to see Suki, Ursa, and Sun Tzu came through, panicked looks in their eyes. Suki looked at Aang and frantically said, "Aang! The Dark Legion is-" She gasped as she looked over to her right and saw Taifeng standing there, hatred in his silver eyes. Ursa picked up Sun Tzu and held the young boy close to her.

Taifeng growled and said, "It seems my plans have been foiled…no matter." Looking at Aang, Katara, and the elders, he said, "Your time will come, when the darkness will overpower and destroy you. I shall enjoy watching you all die. Farewell!" He shot upwards on a blast of air, flying up through the open-air courtyard. Everyone watched as he flew over the city like a creature of the night. The evil Airbender sucked in a huge breath of air and emitted a high pitched scream, sounding something like a wolf-bat. The eerie sound carried all throughout the valley, the terrible noise causing everyone to cringe. Suddenly, hundreds of black figures began rising up from the city like a flock of raven-crows. Aang knew that these black figures were the other Dark Legion Airbenders, and his heart sunk at the sight of so many of his people having turned to the darkness. The evil Airbenders rose up as one and flew up and out of the valley as the scream died away, rising above the mountains and flying off into the distance. In a matter of minutes, the Dark Legion Airbenders had fled from Gufeng.

There was a long silence afterwards, the reality of the situation sinking into everyone's minds as they looked at one another. Qiufeng sat down and rubbed his forehead, shaken up by his brother's betrayal. "How could I have not foreseen this?" he muttered to himself. "How is it possible that this Emperor has the power to sway even the Air Nomads to his dark cause? So many questions…" He sighed as he closed his eyes, still adjusting to recent events.

Aang looked at Qiufeng and said, "I'm sorry about your brother…but did you really mean what you said? I mean about the remaining Air Nomads joining in the allegiance of the Four Nations…will you really fight by our side?" There was an uneasy pause as the elder pondered the Avatar's question. Aang felt Katara's hand slip into his for comfort, causing him to smile at her touch. Suki, Ursa, and Sun Tzu walked up next to them, the same nervous looks in their eyes. This was the moment they had been waiting for, the chance for the Air Nomads to help bring balance back into the world by joining with the other nations.

Finally, Qiufeng looked up with proud eyes and confidently said, "Yes, Avatar Aang. We will fight by your side." Aang and Katara's faces lit up with estatic smiles while Suki cheered. Ursa hugged Sun Tzu happily, the young Prince giggling joyfully. A serious look entered the elder's eyes as he added, "But you must do something for us, Avatar. You must promise to uphold our ways of nonviolence in this conflict and ensure that the other nations will not force us to use fatal killing moves against any member of the Dark Legion, even against the Emperor. That is our primary concern." Aang knew that he would have to compromise, at least for the sake of his people.

"Monk Qiufeng," Aang said firmly, "I promise on my duty as the Avatar that I will uphold your…our traditions of nonviolence against all living things, and that I will keep the other nations from forcing you to use killing moves against anyone in the Dark Legion." Aang and Qiufeng stared at each other for a long time, showing their seriousness to one another. He felt Katara squeeze his hand, glad that her husband was handling the situation so well. Eventually, Qiufeng began to relax, his hunched shoulders slouching ever so slightly.

"Thank you, Avatar Aang," said the elder gratefully. "I know you that you will not fail us." He sighed and said, "This has been a trying morning for us all. Now that the danger has passed, you should return to your quarters and wait for your friends to return. I'm sure they are just as concerned about you as you are for them." The members of Team Avatar nodded and bowed respectfully to the elders, who inclined their heads to the group of heroes, and then left the Council Chambers.

As they walked through the entryway, Suki gleefully said, "I can't believe it! We finally got the Air Nomads to join us! This is so wonderful!" Everyone nodded in agreement, bright smiles on their faces. Suki then told Aang and Katara of her group's encounter with the Dark Legion Airbenders, walking down the hallway to their quarters. As she finished, they came to the closed door to their room. They heard sobbing from inside, the bitter weeping of a broken woman. Everyone looked at each other with concerned looks, and Aang slowly opened the door.

They were all shocked to see Meigui lying on her bed, her face buried in the pillows as she cried. Katara instantly left Aang's side and walked up to Meigui's bed, confusion in her blue eyes. "What's wrong, Meigui?" she asked in her signature motherly tone. Meigui only responded with louder sobs, and pity began welling up in Katara's heart. She took up Meigui in her arms and began rocking her, much like she had done with Aang the night before. Everyone else walked in as Katara soothingly said, "Stop crying, Meigui. We're here for you. Sssh…" Soon the Earthbender began settling down, her crying growing quieter until she lay still in Katara's arms. They all remained in their places for about ten minutes, silently lending their support to Meigui.

Soon the others had come back and saw the condition Meigui was in. Aang, however, first told them of Taifeng and his betrayal of the Air Nomads. Gregor then told everyone of what Kongju had told him about Meigui's past dealings with the Dark Legion, earning shocked looks from everyone. Toph then had Meigui put her feet on the floor and asked her a series of questions to determine whether or not she was still working for the Dark Legion and, if so, what they had told her to do. Meigui truthfully told her that she did not work for the Dark Legion and that she would never even think of hurting her friends, all the while being glared at by an angry Gregor. When she finished, she stared at the ground shamefully. Toph stood up and said, "She's telling the truth. She's not with the Dark Legion." Turning her attention to Meigui, she added, "I certainly don't hate you for what you did." Everyone (except an indignant Gregor) nodded in agreement, bringing out a small smile from Meigui.

"You can't be serious!" shouted Gregor, earning him disapproving looks from everyone. "You would still trust this…this _traitor_ after everything she did?" he added as he gestured to Meigui, who had a guilty look on her face as the tears formed in her eyes again. "Argh!" he exclaimed and snorted fire out of his nose, angrily storming out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

"Just let him go," said Dreo nonchalantly. "He just needs to blow off some steam…or fire, in his case." They all settled onto their beds, tired by the events of the morning. Aang chuckled ironically; by the betrayal of some of his people, he had gained the support of the rest of the Air Nomads. Things were starting to look better despite the darkness that was threatening the world.

* * *

><p>"Are you certain that it is here?" asked Ryu coldly to Kongju. The Emperor was pleased when his second-in-command had arrived with their new Airbender recruits, but then was disappointed when he had learned that the Avatar and his friends had avoided being killed off. He did not want to be disappointed a second time.<p>

"Yes, my Liege," said Kongju assuredly. "We read the scrolls again and found that in the translation of it that it directly referred to this place. Somehow our scribes must have misread it all of these years. Would you like to have them punished, Master?"

"No," replied Ryu. "I will need them for the ceremony that will give me the power that I seek. Begin the preparations immediately, Captain. We have much work to do." Kongju bowed and exited the throne room, the dark flames shining off of his red hair. The Emperor chuckled and said to himself, "Soon, Avatar…soon you shall see true darkness. After so long, I am about to obtain the power that will lead to your death! Vengeance will be mine!"


	15. Chapter Fourteen: The Dark Mountain

Hereeeeeee's me! :D I'm back once more with another exciting chapter of my epic fanfic. Now things get _very_ interesting. :P We're getting closer and closer to the finale with each passing chapter! Let us continue this grand journey together! ONWARDS! Enjoy reading and please review!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Fourteen: The Dark Mountain**

_Katara walked around the great city of the Southern Water Tribe, the place where she had been born and raised as a child. She smiled as she saw the large ice buildings rise up all around her, a stark contrast to its archaic state just a decade before. The massive frozen city stretched on for miles, showing off the splendor of the restored Southern Water Tribe. Thousands of citizens now resided with its frozen walls, for many people from both Water Tribes had congregated to the city over the years. The South Pole was now full of countless Waterbenders, restoring the once-lost Southern tradition of the ancient art. Katara had been a part of that reconstruction process, training people how to be Waterbenders over many years. She felt proud to see her home restored to what it was in its glory days…in the days before The War._

_She kept her hands just below her enlarged stomach, supporting the weight of the baby that she was carrying. She smiled to herself, thinking about how soon her little baby boy was going to come into the world. She thought about how excited Aang would be when she finally gave birth, and she could even see the bright smile on his face as he looked upon his newborn son in his arms. She felt nervous about becoming a parent, but she knew Aang would help her out as much as he could. She was glad that her husband was so supportive of her, and that he would do anything to make the world a better place for her and their son._

_Suddenly, a cold wind passed through Katara's hair, chilling her to the bone. All the noise around her was drowned out as the wind howled past her ears. The noise faded away until she heard a soft voice call out, "Katara…" The sound of her name instantly made her snap to attention, as if by instinct. She closed her eyes as the wind blew harder, bracing herself against the bite of the frozen wind. The wind died down, but something felt different. Katara opened her eyes, and she was surprised to see that she was in Aang's house, the place where she lived since she married Aang. She was standing just outside the living room, on the right side of the entryway. "Katara…" the voice called again, a soothing sound that calmed Katara. She thought the voice sounded familiar, a voice she had not heard for many years. Nervous about what she was about to encounter, she slowly made her way through the frozen entryway…and saw an unbelievable sight._

_Sitting there on the couch of the living room was a woman, one who looked very much like Katara. She had the same olive skin, the rich tan color of the people of the Poles. She had black hair, which was bundled up in a bun on her head. She wore a blue fur-lined parka, the common style of the Water Tribe. As the woman looked up at her, Katara could see that she had the same blue eyes as her. These eyes were full of life, love, and compassion, eyes she had not seen for many years. The woman had a kind smile, one that was a mixture of unconditional love and playfulness. Katara couldn't believe her eyes; before her was a woman that had been dead for sixteen years, someone who was very dear to her…her mother, Kya. The Water Tribe woman looked at her daughter with a motherly smile and said, "Hello, Katara."_

_At the sound of her mother's voice, a surge of emotions rushed through Katara. All the pain she bore over the years after her mother's death suddenly assaulted her along with sheer happiness and joy. Her mother's voice brought back dozens of sweet memories, the happy years she had spent with her mother before her death. Her heart clutched, seizing with the horrible pain that she had felt whenever she had expressed her grief. Tears sprung forth in her eyes, her heart aching at the sight of her mother. "Mom…" she breathed out in a choked voice, and ran over to her mother. Kya stood up just in time to receive a mighty hug from her daughter, who was crying into her mother's shoulder._

_Kya smiled and stroked Katara's hair, something she hadn't done in many long years. "My baby…" she said blissfully, happy to be reunited with her daughter. "My little Katara…" she added softly, causing Katara to let out a choked sob. They stood there for a long time, their hearts being mended as they hugged one another. Kya could feel herself welling up, tears threatening to break forth from her eyes. "I've missed you, my beautiful daughter…" she said quietly, love coating her voice like the snow that fell upon the frozen landscape._

"_I've missed you too, Mom…" choked out Katara as she brought her face out of her mother's clothes and rested her chin on Kya's shoulder. Her face was wet with tears of mixed emotions, tears of happiness and grief. All she felt in that moment was the intense connection she had with her mother, feeling much closer to her than ever before. "I've missed you…so much…ever since you…" She started crying again, reminded of the day that her mother was taken from her by the cruel flames of the warring Fire Nation._

"_Sssh…" whispered Kya, rocking her daughter back and forth. "I'm here now…everything will be fine…" Katara sobbed again, remembering how, when she was a little girl, her mother would hold her just like this whenever she was sad. Kya would rock her daughter in her arms, wiping away the sad tears that she shed and telling how things would be better again. After a few more minutes of their embrace, the two women separated and held each other at arm's length. Kya looked into her daughter's tear filled eyes and happily said, "Don't be sad. There's no need to cry now that I'm here." She took her hand and wiped the tears off Katara's face, eliciting a small smile from the Waterbender. After the tears had been wiped away, she dropped her hand back down behind Katara's back, smiling kindly at her daughter._

"_How…how is this possible?" asked Katara, staring in amazement at her mother. "I know that I'm dreaming, but you just seem…" She paused as she looked up and down her mother, as if her eyes were still trying to convince her that what she was seeing was tangible. "…so real," she finished, eliciting a chuckle from her mother. "I remember Aang telling me about people who have been visited in their dreams by spirits, but I always thought that it mostly happened to the Avatar…is this a Spirit World visit?" Her mother chuckled again, a sweet sound that was like music to Katara's ears. For so many years, she had almost forgotten the sound of her mother's voice. Deep inside, however, she had always kept the memories of her mother burning bright in her heart._

"_Very good, my little Waterbender," said Kya merrily. "You were always the observant one out of you and your brother. All he thought of as a child was meat and warrior training." The two women chuckled, remembering how Sokka was as a youngster. Kya looked at Katara and proudly said, "I've watched you grow up so much over the years, my angel. I am happy and proud to have you as a daughter. You have grown into a fine and beautiful young woman as well as a master Waterbender." Katara felt her eyes well up, touched that her mother was so proud of everything she had done in her life. "You've made wonderful friends and done so much to help the world. I am equally proud of your brother…he certainly has grown up from the little boy that I knew." She chuckled and teasingly added, "I certainly approve of your choice of a husband. Aang is a wonderful young man, and I know that he'll be a great father to your child. I would have certainly loved to have had him as a son-in-law."_

_Katara smiled and said, "Thanks, Mom. I really am happy with all of my friends…and with Aang, especially him. You two would have gotten along quite well." She chuckled and said, "Being an expectant mother is harder than I imagined. Just how did you go through it twice with me and Sokka?" Kya began laughing, a soft and light peal that reverberated in the icy air. Katara realized just how much she had missed her mother now that she was reunited with her._

_Kya slowly stopped laughing and said, "I went through those two pregnancies for several reasons. For one, I loved your father very much and would bear any child of his…although he was very overprotective of me during those times, just like Aang is with you." Katara rolled her eyes, causing Kya to chuckle. "Another reason is because that when you and Sokka were born, I loved you both so much…like only a mother could love her children. I wanted nothing but the best for the both of you. You'll understand what I'm talking about when your baby is born."_

"_I know," said Katara with a smile. But she had a feeling, something that was nagging her in the back of her mind. She knew that whenever someone was visited by a spirit that it usually meant something. "Mom," she said warily, "I know that there's a reason why you're here, and it's not for us to catch up on old times. What is it that you're not telling me?" She could see a serious look enter her mother's eyes, the liquid comfort that flowed in them freeze into hardness. Katara knew from that look that what her mother was going to say next was incredibly serious._

"_I know of your struggle against the Dark Legion," she said, "and I want to help you to end it. Your child doesn't deserve to be born in a world full of darkness and strife." She paused and said, "Listen very carefully, my darling…I know where the Dark Legion's headquarters is at. I traveled to the mortal world in search of them, and I came upon their location when I followed their new Airbender recruits back to their base. It's a lone mountain deep in the Earth Kingdom known as Mount Yami, which is located about halfway between Gufeng and Ba Sing Se. It used to be an active volcano up until a thousand years ago, and now the Dark Legion is using it as their lair." Looking seriously into her daughter's eyes, she said, "You have to give the Avatar this information. Do you understand how important this is?"_

"_I do, Mom," replied Katara firmly. Even though she couldn't fight, she felt like she could help Aang by giving him this crucial information. It was a chance to end the war with the Dark Legion before it began. Kya relaxed, her frozen eyes melting into loving comfort once more._

"_Thank you, Katara," she said gratefully. A sad look entered her eyes, as if she didn't want this moment to end. "I have to go now, honey." Disbelief shot through Katara's ocean blue eyes, widening in her surprise._

"_No!" she protested vehemently, hugging her mother closer to her. "You can't leave! I just got you back…I don't want to lose you again…not again…" Her heart felt like it was being torn in two, assaulted by the pain of her mother's imminent departure. She could feel the tears streaming down her face, and she refused to accept what was happening before her eyes._

"_Katara…" said Kya in a pained voice as she squeezed her beloved daughter closer to her. "You will never lose me because I will always be in your heart. Be strong, my brave Waterbender. We will be together again one day." She paused and said, "When you see your father again, tell him that I miss him so very much and I wish I could still be with him." Katara sobbed and nodded her head, her sadness threatening to overtake her. Kya smiled sadly and said, "Goodbye, Katara…I love you." Katara felt her grip on her mother lessen as she slowly vanished into thin air, leaving the Waterbender alone in the living room. Katara looked around, but her mother was gone…again. She fell to her knees, burying her face as her sorrow filled her soul with grief._

Katara's eyes shot open as she felt something wet trail down her face. It took her a few seconds to realize that the moisture on her face was tears. She suddenly remembered her dream, how she had been reunited with her dead mother after sixteen years. Her heart clutched in pain, intense sorrow breaking her soul into thousands of tiny shards. She closed her eyes and began sobbing, her hand over her mouth to muffle her crying so she didn't wake anyone up. Her body shook all over, sending vibrations throughout the bed she was sleeping in. The agony she felt was unbearable, as if someone had given her something completely wonderful only to snatch it away.

"Katara?" asked a worried voice to her left. She opened her eyes to see the storm gray eyes of Aang above her, concern clearly obvious on his face. She threw her arms around his neck and drew him in an embrace, her face buried in his shoulder as she continued crying. Aang managed to hug her back, letting his love for her seep into his embrace. "What's wrong?" he softly asked, causing Katara to let out a choked sob. It broke Aang's heart to see his soul mate in so much pain. "Did you have a nightmare?" he gently asked, worried that she might have a breakdown like he had just the night before.

"No…" Katara moaned, sorrow cracking her voice like a melting iceberg. Aang hugged her closer, feeling his shoulder become wet under the onslaught of her tears. He didn't care about getting wet, for his Katara was the only thing that mattered at the moment. Aang slowly rocked her back and forth, letting his comforting rhythm soothe his aching wife. After a few minutes, she separated herself from Aang and lay back on the bed. Looking up, she saw Aang's worried eyes on her. Katara wiped her tears away and shakily said, "I had a dream…I was at our house in the Southern Water Tribe..." She drew in a nervous breath and said, "I saw my Mom." Aang's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting this turn of events. "Actually, it was my mother's spirit…she was visiting me from the Spirit World."

"Wow," said Aang in amazement. "That's awesome that you got to see your mom again after so long," he added cheerily, eliciting a small smile from Katara. The Waterbender could never stay sad when she was around her optimistic husband, who always made her smile.

"Yeah…" said Katara forlornly, still recovering from losing her mother again. "She told me that's she been watching over me all these years, ever since she…died." Tears appeared in her eyes as she said, "She said that she was proud of everything that I had done, and that I had grown into fine and beautiful young woman." Aang nodded in agreement, smiling brightly at his wife. "She said that she knew all about you," Katara said to the Avatar. A worried and apprehensive look suddenly appeared on Aang's face, much to Katara's confusion.

"Um…what exactly did she, uh… say about me?" he asked hesitantly, nervousness in his gray eyes. Katara didn't know why he looked so scared, but the realization suddenly hit her; since Aang had never met her mother, he didn't know what she would think of him or whether she would approve of him being with her daughter. Katara covered her mouth as to muffle her laughter, her body shaking with the force of her merriment. Aang's worry only intensified at his wife's reaction. "Oh great," he muttered hopelessly as he looked away, "she must _really_ hate me." Katara slowly stopped laughing, amusement in her sparkling blue eyes.

"No Aang, she doesn't hate you," she said assuredly. "She absolutely loves you," she added, causing Aang to look back at her. "If it makes you feel any better, she said that she approves of you and that she would have loved to have had you as a son-in-law." Aang relaxed as he smiled at Katara's words, obviously relieved that Kya approved of him.

"Thank goodness," he said in relief. "I know your mom is gone and all, but getting her approval of me was even more nerve-wracking then when I had to talk to your dad when we started our relationship ten years ago." Aang shuddered at the memory, eliciting a soft chuckle from Katara. They both remembered that encounter well because it involved a very nervous Aang being frozen to the wall of Hakoda's home by Pakku as the Chief interrogated the young Avatar and forcibly told him that if he even thought of trying to hurt or dishonor his daughter that he would personally hunt him down, Avatar or not. Aang had assured Hakoda that he could never bring himself to hurt or dishonor Katara in any way, and after the Chief was convinced he had the Avatar unfrozen. Hakoda smiled cheerily and welcomed him into the family, much to Aang's relief (although, to his dismay, supper with the family that night consisted of steamed sea prunes).

Suddenly remembering what her mother had told her, she said, "Aang, my Mom had a message for you." The Avatar looked at her with interest, his eyes entirely focused on the woman lying next to him. "She told me that she knew where the Dark Legion's base was," she added, causing Aang's eyes to widen. "It's a lone dormant volcano about halfway between Gufeng and Ba Sing Se. Its name is Mount Yami." She paused as she saw Aang's eyes widen even further. "This is the chance we've been waiting for, a chance to take the fight to the Dark Legion and stop them before they can go through with their plans."

"Yeah," agreed Aang. He thought for a moment and said, "I think I'll take Sokka, Zuko, Gregor, and Toph with me. I'll need Zuko and Gregor's powerful Firebending as well as Toph's Earthbending." He chuckled and added, "I guess I could make use of Sokka's _instincts_." Both of them chuckled softly, remembering how many times Sokka's _instincts_ had gotten them in trouble over the years.

"You're right about that," said Katara in agreement, but just then a concerned look came over her face. Dropping her voice to a whisper, she said, "Are you sure you want to take Gregor with you?" Looking over to their right-hand side, they looked at Gregor. The noble Firebender was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the wall as he slept. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, his head dropped down. Even in his sleep, there was an angry scowl across his face. Katara looked back and said, "He just seems a bit…unstable, especially after what happened yesterday with Meigui."

"I know," said Aang softly, "but I think that maybe this excursion will help to clear his head. Gregor's a good man…granted he can get blinded by his anger sometimes, but a good man nonetheless." Looking back at the sleeping Firebender, he said, "I've never seen a man quite like him. I can tell that he is destined for greatness, even if he doesn't know it yet." Looking back at his wife, he smiled and said, "I would trust him with my life."

"Well…" Katara said, "if you trust him…" She paused as she gave her husband a light kiss on the lips, bringing out a slight blush from the Avatar. She leaned back from the kiss and said, "Then I trust him too. I will always trust your judgment, Aang." She gave him a loving smile, showing just how much faith she had in him. Aang returned the smile, but he felt a twinge of guilt inside. He remembered his secret vow to Roku to keep Katara out of harm's way, the one thing he absolutely could not tell her. He frowned slightly, a guilty look entering his eyes. Katara noticed this and frowned as well. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Upon hearing her voice, Aang was snapped out of his trance. "Nothing," he muttered. Seeing the unconvinced look on Katara's face, he said, "I guess I'm just nervous about facing the Dark Legion. I have no idea of what this Emperor is capable of…" He remembered how he had felt before facing Fire Lord Ozai; scared out of his mind, nervous, feeling like his heart would give out at any moment, and just plain terrified. All of those emotions suddenly came rushing back at once, the terror he was feeling flooding his eyes. "What if I don't come back?" he said, his panic growing stronger every second. "What's going to happen to the world if the Emperor kills me?" The seeds of doubt began sprouting in his heart, taking control of his emotions. "I can't do this…" he said as he closed his eyes. "I'm not strong enough…this new darkness is going to overwhelm me…I can't-"

He was silenced as he felt something crash against his lips. His eyes shot open, surprised by the sudden onslaught. He saw Katara's face so close to his, her lips pressed tightly against his. Her eyes were closed, her love being poured into Aang through her kiss. After several long seconds, she leaned back from the kiss and opened her eyes. Aang saw a light shining in her eyes, confidence and certainty filling her sapphire eyes. "Aang," she said firmly, "you _are_ strong enough. You _can_ do this. You have mastered the four elements, Energybending, and the Avatar State. You are perhaps the strongest Avatar that has ever lived, and we all believe in you. You have always survived, no matter how daunting or terrifying your foe is. You defeated Fire Lord Ozai over ten years ago to save the world, and now you will do it again by defeating the Emperor of Darkness." She smiled and said, "Stop worrying."

Aang opened his mouth to protest something, but Katara stopped him by saying, "No more talking until everyone wakes up in the morning." She chuckled and added, "Besides, you're going to need all the rest you can get. You've got a big day ahead of you." Aang smiled and nodded in agreement, settling back into the bed. He lay facing her, warm smiles on both of their faces. "Good night, my love," she said, her eyes still fixed on him. Aang leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, his way of saying "good night" without words. He rested his head on her shoulder, and she leaned her head against his. They both closed their eyes and held each other's hand, soon drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p>"Sokka, are you sure that Mount Yami is this way?" asked Aang from the back of the saddle. "We've been flying for hours since we left Gufeng this morning." Sitting in Appa's saddle were Aang, Zuko, Gregor, and Toph, while Sokka was at the reins. They had taken off from Gufeng in a north-easterly direction, aiming towards Ba Sing Se. They had been flying over a vast plain for about an hour, the mountains far behind them as Appa soared through the open sky.<p>

"Trust me, Aang," said Sokka confidently as he turned his head back to look at Aang. "My instincts are spot-on this time."

"That's a first," scoffed Toph, who was sitting of the left side of the saddle. Her arms were wrapped around the small wooden railing, providing her some support in one of her least favorite places: in the air. "Do you guys remember that one time about three years after the war when Sokka's _instincts_ led us into a canyon ambush by Fire Nation rebels? He got so burnt that even his clothes were smoking." Sokka's face dropped slightly, obviously mad that she would remember something like that.

"Yeah," chuckled Aang in agreement. "And if my memory is correct, the first time I listened to Sokka's _instincts_, we ended up walking into a Fire Nation camp. That's how Sokka, Katara, and I first met Jet." Sokka's frowned deepened even more, his eyebrows scrunched in annoyance.

"That's nothing," said Zuko, who was sitting next to Gregor on the right side of the saddle. "About five years ago, when he and I were tracking down a rogue Fire Nation general in the Earth Kingdom, his _instincts_ led us into a cave full of platypus-bears." He smiled and said, "I can remember that he screamed like a little girl and we came barreling out of the cave with about seven of them chasing us." Sokka's face contorted into one of annoyance at everyone criticizing his _instincts_. "And there was that one time-" Zuko began before he was cut off by Sokka.

"OK, I get it!" shouted an annoyed Sokka. His tone of voice returned to normal as he said, "So my instincts haven't exactly been reliable in the past. So what?" His eyes drifted up front, and then they suddenly widened with shock. "Guys…" he said distantly, catching everyone's attention. "I think we're here…" Aang, Zuko, and Gregor scrambled up to the front of the saddle to see the sight, their eyes widening as they looked upon the sight.

There, on the horizon, was a lone mountain, standing like a goliath over a vast expanse of flat land. While the land below was brown and dusty, the mountain itself was as black as the hearts of evil men. As they got closer, the mountain continued to grow in size, rising high above the landscape. There was not a single living thing surrounding it, as if all life around it had been driven out by an unseen force. The four men stared on at the sight with awestruck eyes, knowing instantly that this was Mount Yami. "I guess your instincts were right this time…" dryly said Zuko, looking on at the dark mountain with amber eyes.

"I don't know if I want my instincts to be right this time," muttered Sokka in a reply. Nervousness began to take hold of them, apprehension of the coming battle steeling their minds. "Yip yip," said Sokka, causing Appa to groan as he sped closer to the mountain. Flying around the base, they saw an opening that led deeper into the mountain. Sokka brought the Sky Bison in for a landing, touching down about twenty feet off of the side of the entrance.

Everyone dismounted from the bison, looking up the side of Mount Yami. Toph jumped off of Appa, her bare feet landing on the hard volcanic soil. "Wow," she said. "This place is _huge_…the whole thing goes up at least two miles into the air…and there's an empty chamber in the very middle of the mountain." She paused as she extended her senses even further. "There's a _lot_ of people in there…probably thousands, maybe more."

"Good," growled Gregor, causing everyone to look at him. "That means the Dark Legion is here." He clenched his hands into fists, which began smoking in anticipation of a massive battle. "Let's go," he barked, walking into the dark tunnel with Sokka, Zuko, and Toph behind him. Aang stayed behind for a brief second to pet Appa goodbye, receiving a friendly growl in return, and then ran to catch up with the others. The five of them continued walking down the tunnel, a small flame in Gregor's hand providing illumination. They walked on for several minutes, the smooth black rock around them glistening from the light of the flames.

As they continued walking down the tunnel, they could begin to hear what sounded like dark chanting. As they listened, a chill ran down their spines, as if someone were dragging a dagger down their backs. The chanting was low in tone and booming in power, resonating throughout the tunnel with its malicious echo. "Yikes," muttered Sokka as he shivered. "If that doesn't scream 'Bad Guys Down This Way' I don't know what will." The others nodded in agreement, the evil chanting searing into their skin like a burning fire. Soon they began to see a light at the end of the tunnel, the chanting slowly dying away. Gregor snuffed his flame as the five of them came to end of the tunnel, stopping dead in their tracks when they saw what awaited them.

The inner part of the dormant volcano was completely hollow, light pouring in through the open top miles over their heads, while the base was about three miles in diameter. But that's not what left the five heroes stunned…it what was _in_ the volcano that stunned them. Before them was a massive palace, black as the night and lined with purple along the edges. The structure rose almost a mile into the air, taking up much of the space inside the mountain. It had fearsome features, battlements with sharp spikes and burning torches, and countless other things to make the place truly look evil. The palace looked impregnable to even the mightiest assault, as if the darkness itself had made the vile place. Assembled in front of the palace was a vast army of Dark Legion troops, tens of thousands of warriors and benders. Everywhere they looked, the group could see the four nations gathered: Air Nomads, Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation. They all had the same look; evil and corrupt men and women bent on revenge against those who had wronged them.

There was a central platform in the middle of the cavern, as if a ceremony were being performed. Several figures could be seen standing on top of it, some of which looked like scribes. The elderly scribes parted from the figure in the middle, revealing what was perhaps a man even more cruel and evil than Ozai. The man was dressed in nightmarish armor, which was in the shape of a dark dragon, and a crown of evil upon his head. He opened his eyes, sensing something in the still air of the mountain. He raised his arms up and said in a commanding voice, "My children! I sense that the Avatar is near!" The soldiers around him stirred, looking in every possible direction for their foe.

A group of soldiers close to where the five heroes were standing turned and saw them. "The Avatar is over here!" an Earthbender shouted, causing every head in the assembly to turn to look at the group. The five young adults braced themselves, getting into fighting stances as they prepared for the fight of their lives.

The dark man on top of the platform looked over in Aang's direction, an evil smile appearing on his face. He dropped his arms by his side and shouted, "Come forth, mighty Avatar! Show yourself to the true ruler of this world!" His voice sounded amplified, as if an Airbender had been bending the air around his voice to make it sound louder. The soldiers cheered on their leader, their loud voices drowning the group's ears with hoarse shouting. The group looked at each other nervously, then stepped forward into the tiger-lion's den. The soldiers before them parted like the ocean before a Waterbender, providing safe passage through the crowd. Aang decided not to take any chances and bent the air around his friends into a sphere, zooming through the open passageway of bodies. Within seconds, they had made it to the central platform and stopped about a one hundred and fifty feet short of it. The air sphere dissolved, leaving the group of five heroes surrounded by their enemy.

Looking up at the platform, they saw several familiar people; Kongju, Jiliu, Long Feng, Taifeng, and a fifth figure that looked like a woman. She stepped out from behind Kongju, an evil smile on her insane face. Zuko's eyes widened as he gasped, instantly recognizing the woman. "Azula?" he said, shocked to see his sister. "But I thought you were-"

"Dead, Zuzu?" finished Azula in a mocking tone. She viciously chuckled and said to Aang, "I must say, Avatar, you really did catch me off guard with that fancy little trick of yours." She smiled cruelly and said, "How is your pathetic wife, by the way? I'm sure she must be doing much better now…despite the fact that I nearly killed her!" Aang grit his teeth at her, anger flooding his eyes.

"Silence, Azula!" barked the man in the middle. Azula looked angrily at him, but faltered when she saw the darkness in his eyes. She looked down, afraid to even look at him. The man turned to look at the group, and Aang was surprised when he saw his features. His hair was as black as the night of a new moon, while his eyes were a deep shade of purple. Aang remembered what Iroh had said about the Death Rubies causing that physical reaction, and his fear began to grow. Whoever this man was, he was far more evil than Ozai could have ever been. He smiled coldly and said in a chilling voice, "Welcome, Avatar and friends, to the lair of the Dark Legion." The soldiers around them chuckled maliciously, looking at the five as if they were fresh meat. "I am the Emperor of Darkness, the ruler of this grand army of shadow…my name is Ryu." As he said his name, Ryu bowed to Aang and the others.

Zuko's eyes widened again as he said, "No…it can't be." The others looked at him with confused expressions, not sure of how the Fire Lord would know Ryu. Zuko looked at the others and said, "Ryu used to be a general in my father's army during The War. He led the Fire Nation troops into Ba Sing Se shortly after Azula's coup and led a garrison in the city's defense during the Liberation by the Order of the White Lotus. He disappeared at one point during the battle and was never seen again for ten years…" His voice drifted as he and the others looked back at Ryu, fear gripping their hearts. "…until now," he finished gravely.

"Very good, Fire Lord Zuko," said Ryu with a chuckle, his eyes glowing with dark intent. "I must say, I'm rather surprised that our nation has survived for so long under your rule." A scowl appeared on Zuko's scarred face as Ryu said, "You are not the rightful ruler of the Fire Nation. You waited like a pathetic coward until the Avatar defeated the great Ozai in single combat to snatch the throne from under Princess Azula's feet. You are nothing but a spineless whelp who seeks to turn our great Fire Nation into nothing but a bunch of peace-loving and wretched koala-sheep that the world can use for their personal amusement! Your father raised the most useless Fire Lord in the history of the world." He spat in Zuko's direction, his disgust for the Fire Lord apparent.

Zuko's anger exploded at that moment, running forward and launching himself forward with a mighty shout. Punching both of his fists in front of him, he launched a large stream of fire at the Emperor. The evil man simply stood there and waited, completely unafraid of the Fire Lord. Suddenly he spun around with a roundhouse kick, blasting dark flames out his feet. Red and black fire collided, exploding on impact. Ryu roared and shot a black fireball at Zuko, which shot through the ensuing smoke from the explosion. Zuko had barely enough time to raise his arms in front of him to block the fireball before it slammed into him, throwing him back several feet. He slid on the ground, landing just short of his friends. The Dark Legion troops cheered in approval of Ryu's small victory.

Aang helped his old friend off of the ground, his hand pulling up on Zuko's arm. The Fire Lord stood back up, still shaky from his small scuffle with the Emperor. Aang let go of Zuko and stared angrily at Ryu. "You're wrong!" he shouted. "Zuko is the greatest Fire Lord your nation has ever seen!" The Fire Nation warriors and Firebenders in the assembly booed at Aang, their hatred for the Avatar and the Fire Lord evident. Aang ignored them and said, "Ozai, Azulon, and Sozin were nothing but madmen who wanted complete control of the world, slaughtering any who stood in their path." Gesturing to Zuko, he said, "Zuko is a man of compassion and mercy! His work has brought peace and prosperity to the Fire Nation _and _to the rest of the world!"

"Lies!" hissed Ryu, earning him several approving cheers from his soldiers. He pointed accusingly at Aang and said, "You are just as much at fault as your pathetic friend! I will not have the world governed by one as weak as you, _Avatar Aang_!" He spat out the last part, letting his utter hatred towards Aang seep into his voice. His angry eyes suddenly grew calm, a dark smile appearing on his face as he dropped his arm. "There is something that I wish to divulge to you concerning the Death Rubies, something that not even the wisest men of this world know." He paused and said, "In the time of the dark benders, an evil spirit fought against the Avatar of that time. The Avatar soundly defeated the spirit, bringing great shame upon the spirit. The dark spirit swore to take his revenge on the Avatar Spirit, and he placed upon the Death Rubies a terrible curse…whenever the Avatar Spirit experiences negative emotions, a small portion of that Avatar's power is taken and stored inside of the jewels."

Aang's eyes widened as Ryu said this. How was that even possible? Suddenly he remembered something…a slight tugging sensation he felt whenever he was angry or sad, almost like his heart was aching. At those times he had felt drained, like his own emotions were taking a toll on him. Now he knew that it was an ancient curse that an evil spirit placed on the Avatar Spirit that caused what was happening in front of him. "So…" Aang started, "if the energy of the Avatar is stored within a Death Ruby…then whoever consumes a jewel will enhance their own bending and be affected by the powers of the Death Ruby itself?"

"Precisely," said Ryu. Gesturing to his features, he said, "As you can already see that I have consumed a Death Ruby, thanks to the discovery of the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness by our little Meigui." He chuckled maliciously as he saw Gregor grit his teeth angrily, his fists clenched in rage. "Unfortunately," he said, "many of our first test subjects were too weak to handle the power contained within the Death Rubies. When we were found out the secret of being able to consume them without dying, it was too late…you destroyed the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness. I am the only one in the entire Dark Legion to possess this power." To emphasize his point, he lit a black fireball in his hand. He inhaled through his nose, making the fire grow in size. He closed his hand as he sharply exhaled, snuffing out the flame. "My powers are beyond that of any Firebender in this room." He smiled evilly and said, "But there is another tale that I wish to tell you…one that involves me."

Ryu drew himself up straight and said, "When I served under Captain Zhao during The War, he and I found the Spirit Library. While he found information on the Moon and Ocean Spirits, I came upon a much darker, forbidden secret." He paused as he allowed the scribes to remove his armor and crown, revealing his muscular features underneath. His body was the definition of physical perfection, muscles rippling throughout his skin. Sokka raised an eyebrow in confusion, obviously stumped as to what the Emperor was doing. "Shortly after the evil spirit cursed the Death Rubies, it visited the leader of the dark benders in a dream. In that dream, it told the leader how to harness the _true_ power of the Death Rubies through an ancient chant in a specific place…this very mountain, in fact." Aang's eyes widened, remembering the dark chanting they had heard when walking down the tunnel. "For some reason, my scribes were unable to find the true location until very recently. The true power of the Death Rubies gives the wielder strength and power beyond imagining. This power, I learned, was called…the Dark Draconus."

Ryu spread his arms out to the side, his open palms facing towards the five heroes. Nothing happened for several long seconds, but then the change slowly became apparent. His skin began rippling like it was water, causing his whole body to vibrate. The Emperor began growling, a low feral growl that only came from a wild animal. His skin turned black, the ripples being replaced by dark scales that covered his whole body. The black scales were lined with purple, the two signature colors of the Dark Legion. His hands turned into claws, like those of a dragon. Ryu screamed as his face stretched, elongating into what looked like the snout of a dragon. His black hair slowly curved upwards and solidified into horns. The rest of his clothes were torn off by the scales, but a hard plate had grown over his nether-regions (much to the relief of the five heroes). His feet changed until they looked like the clawed ones of a ferocious reptile, the clawed nails scraping into the platform. A large tail burst out of his backside, extending four feet behind him. Along his midsection, purple plates began sprouting out, covering his body from underneath his mouth to the bottom of his tail. Ryu screamed again and bent over, his back pulsating underneath the black scales and spikes growing out of his back and tail. Suddenly, two mighty wings burst out of his back. They were as black as the rest of his body, the leathery flight part a dark purple color. The dark wings spread out above the Emperor, heralding the arrival of true evil.

The fives heroes gasped at the horrific and gruesome transformation occurring in front of them, terror seizing their minds. Aang could hear Gregor, who was just behind him, whisper fearfully, "Agni on high…deliver us." Aang had never seen such a dark and terrible power in his whole life. Why would anyone go to such lengths to attain ultimate power, even if it meant destroying their bodies in the process? Even Ryu's own soldiers seemed afraid of him, for they backed up slightly upon seeing their leader transform into a malevolent beast. Jiliu, Taifeng, and Long Feng seemed uneasy, but Kongju and Azula simply stood looking on in grim delight.

Finally, Ryu's screams stopped as the transformation was completed. He was breathing heavily, which now sounded like that of a great dragon. He slowly stood up straight, staring at his clawed hands in slight shock. His eyes were now slanted, but with the same purple color from before. He felt his new features with his exploring hands, shock turning into dark pleasure. He felt his snout, admiring the strength behind his new maw. He smiled, rows of sharp teeth lining his mouth. He dropped his hands to his sides and stretched his wings out, beholding in the power behind his new mechanism of flight. Looking at his wings, Ryu began laughing manically, a dark tone that swept throughout the cavern like a massive thunderstorm. "**Yes...**" the humanoid dragon hissed, darkness filling his voice. "**The power…is incredible!**" Raising his hands into the air, he shouted, "**All hail Ryu, the Dragon Emperor!**" The Dark Legion bowed as one before their grand leader, leaving Ryu and the five heroes to be the only ones standing.

"You're insane!" shouted Aang, horrified at what he was seeing. Ryu looked at Aang and growled, his lips pulled back in a nasty snarl. "You're dealing with something way beyond your understanding! Stop what you're doing before you destroy yourself!"

"**No!**" exclaimed Ryu, his dark voice slamming straight into Aang's mind. The Dark Legion came out of their collective bow as the demon shouted, "**I will rid the world of you, the Fire Lord, and all those who defy me! Prepare yourselves for death!**" He paused and turned his attention to Gregor, his evil eyes boring into the Firebender. "**But before I kill you, High-General Gregor, I believe you should know the truth about Meigui.**" Gregor's eyes widened, his golden eyes staring fearfully at Ryu. "**When Meigui discovered the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness, her heart was as black as could be. But when she picked up a Death Ruby in her hand…something changed within her. In that moment, she had a change of heart and deserted the Dark Legion. She managed to fight off the Dai Li and escape, but our agents kept an eye on her just in case she proved to be of future use…which came around when she ran into you and that Water Tribe woman.**"

Gregor looked down at the ground, disbelief on his face. "She…she wasn't discharged..." he muttered. "She left…of her own free will?" he asked himself, shocked by this turn of events. He remembered that Meigui said that being in the Dark Legion was her biggest regret, and then he suddenly remembered how he had yelled at her…how he had said that he hated her. Remorse began to fill his soul, his inner fire suddenly cold again from the betrayal he had committed against Meigui. Ryu began to draw back to punch a fireball, but just then Gregor looked up and shouted, "Wait!" The Dragon Emperor halted his attack, growling at the High-General. Gregor stepped forward and walked about ten feet from his friends, boldly saying, "Emperor Ryu of the Dark Legion, I, High-General Gregor of the Fire Nation and right-hand man to Fire Lord Zuko, challenge you to an Agni Kai!" His friends looked on in shock, completely taken aback by Gregor's sudden action.

"What are you doing?" shouted Sokka, but Gregor ignored him as he continued glaring into Ryu's dark eyes. Silence ensued, neither side making a move as the Dark Legion troops looked back and forth between their leader and Gregor. Ryu began chuckling, and then started laughing as his amusement at Gregor's challenge grew. Soon the rest of his evil organization joined in the laughter, their dark voices drowning out all other sound. Ryu suddenly stopped laughing and held his hand up to silence his minions, who immediately grew quiet at their master's signal.

Ryu dropped his hands and said in an amused tone, "**Do you really think you can take me on in an Agni Kai, O Brave Gregor?**" He chuckled darkly and said, "**I accept your challenge, High-General of the traitorous Fire Lord Zuko.**" Kongju, Azula, Jiliu, Taifeng, Long Feng, and the scribes cleared the platform, leaving Ryu by himself. Ryu took a fighting stance, his wings spread like a harbinger of doom.

"No, Gregor!" Aang shouted. "You can't do this! I won't allow you to sacrifice yourself for our sakes! Think about your family, about Dreo, about your friends…about Meigui." Gregor didn't even turn to face Aang, his golden eyes dead set on his opponent. Aang couldn't believe what was happening; one of the greatest men he had ever met was about to give his own life to protect his friends from certain death.

"I know," Gregor softly said, regret and guilt flooding into his voice. He turned his head to his friends and said, "While I'm fighting Ryu, you guys get out of here and fly back to Gufeng on Appa." Looking firmly into each of his friend's eyes, he proudly said, "I am honored to have fought by your side...but now my time has come." Staring at Zuko, he said, "It is the ultimate honor to die protecting our Fire Lord…I am ready for that honor." Zuko looked into Gregor's eyes with a deadly seriousness and nodded, knowing that his High-General's intentions were pure. He looked at the blind Earthbender and said, "Toph…tell Dreo to be strong, to carry on the tradition of our family…and tell him that I am proud of the young man he has become." Toph nodded, tears appearing in her pale green eyes. Finally, he looked at Aang and said, "When you see Meigui, tell her…I'm sorry…for everything. Tell her…I don't hate her, and that I am glad that she was my friend." Tears began to sprout in Aang's eyes as he nodded.

"**I grow tired of these sentimentalities,**" angrily said Ryu. "**I suppose it is time for me to end them,**" he added grimly, maliciousness in his dark eyes. He curled up his clawed hands, leaving only the index and middle fingers extended. He began circling his arms as he generated lightning, the electricity a deadly black glow rather than the normal white. He brought his fingers together, the lightning crackling and storing up power. As he charged up his attack, every hair in the room stood on end. "**Now DIE!**" shouted Ryu as he jabbed his right hand at Gregor, the dark lightning racing towards the High-General.

Gregor immediately whipped his head around at the explosion of energy and shot out his fingers to intercept the fatal attack. The lightning grabbed onto his fingers, coursing around his body as he drew his arm in. He screamed in pain, his eyes scrunched tight as he valiantly tried to redirect the lightning. His friends could only look on in horror, their fear keeping them in place. Gregor opened his eyes and shouted, "GO NOW!" He stepped forward and jabbed with his left hand, sending the black electricity back to its owner. Ryu merely deflected the counter-attack with a swat of his hand, sending the lightning crashing into the high rock walls with a thunderous _BOOM!_ Rocks began falling as a result of the explosion, landing harmlessly on the ground. Sensing that his friends were still there, he turned and shouted, "GO!" He launched himself at Ryu, firing dozens of fireballs at his foe.

That one word was enough to snap his friends out of their stupefied trance. Aang immediately swept his hands around him and his remaining friends, sending the four of them flying high above the Dark Legion on a gust of air. Down below, they could hear the soldiers angrily yelling at them, blasting the four elements at them all the while. Aang swiftly dodged the attacks and bent the wind carrying them down towards the ground, flying in and through the tunnel with all the speed he could muster. Within ten seconds, they popped out on the other side and landed on Appa. The others settled into the saddle while Aang yelled, "Yip yip!" He yanked on the reins, desperate to get out of there as quickly as possible. Appa could sense danger and took off without a moment's hesitation, roaring as he flew away from Mount Yami.

As they sped off into the distance, the group looked back just in time to see massive black flames erupt from the top of the mountain. Suddenly, they were hit with an overwhelmingly loud, booming voice…a dark voice that shouted, "**The great Gregor is DEAD!**" They all knew instantly that the voice belonged to Ryu, and their hearts were crushed. Their friend, Gregor, was dead. Grief took hold of the four of them as they cried, mourning for their fallen comrade long after the dark mountain had disappeared over the horizon.

* * *

><p>Hours later, the mood was still solemn as Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph flew into Gufeng on Appa. The Avatar steered his animal companion to the entrance of Dakong Si, his bellowing roar announcing their arrival. Aang dismounted from Appa's head and landed softly on the ground, his head turned towards Appa as he ran his hand through his white fur. The grief he felt for Gregor was even more intense than before. He turned around just in time to see a blue blur crash into him, giving him a big hug. He quickly figured out that the blue blur was Katara, who must have been waiting the whole time for their return. She pulled away from him slightly and leaned back in to kiss him, her soft lips caressing his with love. She separated from him after several long seconds and said, "Thank the Moon and Ocean Spirits you're alright! I was so worried about you!" He tried to smile at her, but his sorrow at the moment was too great. Katara frowned when he saw the sad look in his eyes and asked, "What's wrong?" As she asked him this, the rest of Team Avatar filed in to greet the group back.<p>

Before Aang could deliver the news, a voice from the entryway of the temple shouted, "All hail the conquering heroes!" Everyone looked up to see Dreo bouncing down towards them, a giddy smile on his face. "Now where's my big lug of a brother? I want to hear how much Dark Legion butt he kicked!" He looked around excitedly, a bright smile on his face as he scanned the small crowd for Gregor. After seeing the forlorn looks on everyone's face, his smile dropped as a confused look came over his face. "Where's my brother?" he asked, looking at his friends for an answer. "…Where's Gregor?"

Toph walked up to him and took his hand, eliciting a strange look from Dreo. He could see that something was very wrong, and he was afraid that he knew what it was. He could see the sorrow welling up in her blind eyes as she stared at his chest. "Dreo…" she said softly, trying her best not to upset the Airbender. "…Gregor…didn't make it…he gave his life protecting us…" At that moment, tears fell from Dreo's eyes as his soul was shattered. He crumbled to his knees, staring at the ground in shock in disbelief. The pain he felt was agonizing, tearing a large piece of his heart out. He didn't react as Toph hugged him close to her and mournfully whispered, "I'm so sorry…"

"No…" moaned Dreo, his spirit completely crushed. He closed his eyes and wept bitterly, his heartbroken sobs filling the air. Meigui had a similar reaction, falling to her knees and weeping into her hands. Zuko hugged Mai close as she began crying, tears falling out of his right eye. Ursa hugged Sun Tzu close as she wept, the young boy not understanding why everyone was crying. Sokka and Suki hugged each other, crying just as hard as their friends. Aang hugged Katara close to him, her face buried in his chest as she cried. Aang could feel his own tears falling down his face, but he was respectful enough to not wipe them away. This was their time to mourn for their fallen friend, a time to remember Gregor and to honor his memory.

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><p>"Sire, you do realize that by killing off the High-General that the Avatar and the others escaped to fight another day?" asked Kongju as he stood before the throne. It had been several hours since the death of Gregor and the flight of the Avatar and his companions. Ryu had returned to his normal state shortly after his victory in the Agni Kai, for after each use of the Dark Draconus he had to rest for at least a week.<p>

"I know," replied Ryu coldly, "but I wanted that to happen. I _want_ him to gather the four nations on our doorstep so that we may crush them all in one swift blow! Only then will my victory be complete…now leave." Kongju bowed to the Emperor and walked out of the throne room. "Within one week's time, I shall slay the Avatar with my newfound power and become ruler of the world!" He laughed manically, beginning to taste sweet victory on his cruel tongue.


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Gathering of Nations

We're getting closer to the end, my friends! :D I'M SO EXCITED! :D Anyways, here's yet another chapter for ya'll. This chapter was pretty good, in my opinion at least. :P I hope you all enjoy reading it, and please review! It doesn't have to be a lengthy review, just something to let me know that you're reading and enjoying my work. :) Feedback is always appreciated.

NOTE: I am currently taking a summer class, so my uploading/writing rate my be slow for a while. I will work on my story whenever I can, hopefully finishing it up before I start school. Please bear with me during this time. Thank you for understanding.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Fifteen: Gathering of Nations**

A red sun rose over Gufeng the next morning, bathing the valley in bloody light. As the waking rays crept up Dakong Si, the shadowy temple turned bright red as the polished marble glistened in the light. High up on the balcony stood a lone Airbender, clad in the robes of his people, watching as the sun rose. He was not born in the Air Nomads, for his shaggy brown hair that covered most of his head showed that, and yet he was one of them. He had learned their ways, the art of bending air, even though he was from the Fire Nation. Dreo, the Airbender, leaned on the railing of the balcony as he thought of his brother. The news of Gregor's death had hit him very hard, dulling his usually bright personality. He felt the sun's warm touch upon his face, reminding him of the warmness of his fallen brother.

"You must really miss him," said a comforting voice from the entryway to the balcony. Dreo looked over to see Meigui standing there, a look of sadness in her jade eyes. The Earthbender walked over to Dreo and stood next to him, leaning on the railing as she looked into his gray eyes.

"More than you can know…" muttered Dreo in a reply as he looked back at the sun. He sighed and said, "Gregor was the greatest brother a guy could ask for. He always supported me in everything I did, always telling me that I can achieve anything I set my mind to. But now that he's gone…it's like a big part of my life has suddenly vanished, never to be found again." He looked down below at the ground with melancholy in his eyes as he said, "I miss him…"

"I know you do," said Meigui, her voice heavy with sorrow. "I felt the same way about my sister when she was killed…only I saw her die in front of my eyes. Your brother died fighting to protect the people he cared about. I can't think of a higher honor to bestow upon a man like him." Dreo nodded in agreement, his eyes still locked on the ground below. Meigui looked at the sun, watching as it slowly rose above the mountains surrounding the valley. "Gregor told me one time that the people of the Fire Nation have a strong connection with the sun. He said that in times of grieving, both Firebenders and regular Fire Nation people would watch the sun rise the morning after a loved one or a friend dies. It was their way of watching as the spirit of the deceased rose to new life in the Spirit World." Looking back at Dreo, she smiled and said, "I'm sure he's watching you right now."

Dreo looked up at Meigui and returned the smile. "I know he is," he said. He chuckled and added, "He's still going to keep an eye on me even though he's gone. That's his job as a brother, after all." Both of them chuckled, cherishing the memories that they had of the noble Firebender. "You know what Toph told me?" he asked Meigui, who shook her head at his question. "She told me that Gregor was proud of the young man I had become." Both of them smiled, thinking of how much Gregor had loved his little brother. "Thank you, Meigui," he said, and a look of slight surprise came across her face.

"For what, Dreo?" asked Meigui, confused by the Airbender's action. "All I did was come out here to talk to you. It was nothing special."

"Well, it certainly helped me," said Dreo assuredly, "but the reason why I'm thanking you is because you were such a great friend to my brother." Meigui's eyes widened slightly, but returned to normal as a mournful look came into them. "I know that he was angry at you before because of what happened between you and the Dark Legion, but he can be blinded by his own anger sometimes. He never could bring himself to hate his friends…especially you. He really liked you." He was startled when he saw tears fall out of Meigui's eyes as she looked down at her hands on the railing. "I didn't mean to mean to upset you," he said apologetically.

"It's fine…" mumbled Meigui as she wiped away her tears, sniffling to clear her nose. "I just remembered how Aang told me that before Gregor…fought Ryu…he wanted him to tell me that he was sorry…about everything…even after everything I did, even after he was so angry at me…" She let out a choked sob as more tears fell from her eyes, her emotions tumbling through her mind. Her voice broke as she said, "…he regretted it all…he finally forgave me…he said he didn't hate me…and now I won't get to ever see him again." She broke down crying, her eyes shut tight as she poured her grief out through her tears. Dreo put a comforting hand on her shoulder, tears beginning to appear in his eyes as well. They stood there for a while, sharing their grief with one another as the blood-red sun continued to rise.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Team Avatar stood before the entrance of Dakong Si, ready for their departure from Gufeng. Appa stood behind them, with Momo sleeping the saddle. The Monk Council stood on the steps of the temple, facing the group of heroes assembled in front of them. The two groups bowed to one another, their respect for one another evident. As they came out of their bows, Aang turned to Qiufeng and asked, "Have the messengers been sent out to the other nations?"<p>

Qiufeng nodded and said, "Yes, Avatar Aang. They left as soon as the sun rose this morning, but they should reach their destinations within a couple of hours, for they will fly as fast as the wind. We have sent Sky Bison messengers to Ba Sing Se and Omashu, the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, and the Fire Nation Capital. They carry with them this message." He paused as he pulled a scroll out his robe and unfurled it. Reading it, he said, "To all allies of the Avatar…the time has come. The enemy has been found. Gather your armies and amass at Mount Yami, the home of the evil Dark Legion. Now is the time to stand and fight. Now is the time to rid the world of evil and bring everlasting peace to us all. Let us stand as one in a Fellowship of Nations, four nations united in one goal: the destruction of the Emperor of Darkness and his Dark Legion. Be at Mount Yami in two or three days' time, but do not delay any further. We must quell the enemy as soon as possible. May the Spirits hasten your arrival." Qiufeng rolled the scroll up and stuck back into his robe, saying "The Air Nomads who will fight by your side will arrive in that amount of time as well, for we must prepare."

Aang nodded and said, "Thank you, Monk Qiufeng. We are gracious for the hospitality you have provided for us these past few days and for the aid that you are willing to provide us."

Qiufeng chuckled and replied, "Think nothing of it, Avatar Aang. It was an honor for us to welcome you into our home. You have proudly carried on the traditions of the Air Nomads even when the world thought us extinct, and for that, we thank you." He inclined his head towards Aang, who smiled kindly at the elder monk. Qiufeng looked back at Aang and said, "We are also proud to have you as our Avatar. Your name will be forever remembered in our history, for you are the greatest Avatar that has ever lived in our nation." Aang's smile widened at Qiufeng's words, touched that his own people thought so highly of him. He felt Katara take hold of his hand, and he looked over to see her smile lovingly at him. He knew that she was just as proud of him, if not even more. Qiufeng raised his arms into the air and proclaimed, "Now go forth, mighty Avatar Aang, and bring an end to this darkness that plagues our beautiful world. The fate of the world, once again, rests on your shoulders." He dropped his arms down by his side, smiled at Aang, and added, "Give the Emperor one from the Air Nomads. Let's just see how well he flies when our storm comes rolling in."

Everyone laughed at that moment, their bonds of friendship growing stronger every second. After their moment of merriment, Team Avatar filed onto Appa, waving goodbye to the Air Nomads as the Sky Bison rose into the air. The five elders swung their arms downward simultaneously, then swept their arms upward. A blast of air flowed past their arms and up towards Appa, propelling the Sky Bison with great velocity up and out of the valley. Soon the great city of Gufeng became a speck in the distance, growing smaller and smaller as they flew onward.

After a few minutes of flying, Suki said, "So here's something I just thought of." Everyone looked at her as she asked, "Just how are the other nations going to get to Mount Yami in just a couple of days? It would take a long time to mobilize all the troops, and then there's the matter of transporting them all. It seems like a lot of work to do in just a short amount of time."

"You would be correct on that," said Zuko, "but the other nations are prepared. After Aang, Uncle, and I talked to the Earth King, we sent messages to the Water Tribes and Fire Nation telling them to be ready when we call upon them for aid. Kuei told us that he would prepare his armies for battle, so they would be ready by now. Also, over the years the Fire Nation established airship fields at all the major cities of the nations. This means that there are fleets of airships in the Fire Nation Capital, the capital cities of the Water Tribes, Ba Sing Se, and Omashu. As for the Air Nomads, they have the Sky Bison to fly themselves to Mount Yami."

"That's true," said Sokka. "And when the other nations get the scrolls the Sky Bison messengers are carrying, they'll mobilize immediately. Although, depending on how favorable the wind is for them, their arrival time might vary. And then there's atmosphere density as well as the jet streams in the upper atmosphere, not to mention turbulence and-"

"All right, we get it, Mr. Science and Logic Guy," interjected Toph sarcastically, causing everyone (except Sokka) to chuckle. Turning her attention to Meigui, she said, "Hey, Pupil Meigui, when we get to Mount Yami, you're in for some intensive Earthbending training. We haven't had much of a chance to practice with everything that's been going on, and I have a feeling you're going to need all the help you can get." She smiled as she finished, showing off her mischievousness.

Meigui smiled and said, "Of course, Sifu Toph. Perhaps after we get through all the training sessions, I might even be able to beat you in a fight." She chuckled as she saw Toph roll her pale green eyes, the blank irises rotating up towards the vast blue sky.

Toph wagged her finger and said, "Don't get ahead of yourself, Rosebud." She pointed a thumb at herself and confidently said, "I'm the best Earthbender in the world. There isn't anyone who can take me down in a fight." Pointing the same thumb at Aang, she added, "Just ask Twinkle Toes. He's fought me more times than he can count, and I beat him every time." Meigui's eyes widened as she stared at Aang, astonished that even the Avatar couldn't stand up to the diminutive Toph Bei Fong.

"She's right," said Aang in admonition, shrugging his shoulders as a smirk came across his face. "Not matter what I throw at her, she just takes it and keeps on coming. I wouldn't be surprised if one of her descendants turned out to be the next Earth Kingdom Avatar." A huge grin appeared on Toph's face as he said this, obviously pleased with that intriguing idea. "Speaking of Avatars," said Aang thoughtfully, "did you all know that Zuko is actually Avatar Roku's great-grandson on his mother's side?" Everyone turned and looked at Zuko with wide eyes, surprised at this unknown fact about the Fire Lord.

"It's true," chuckled Zuko as he held up his hands in defeat. Dropping his hands back into his lap, he said, "I found out from my Uncle ten years ago that Roku and Sozin were my great-grandfathers." He paused as everyone continued to stare at him, making him feel somewhat nervous. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"Do you have any idea of how amazing that is?" asked Katara, wonderment in her voice. "It proves that friendships really do transcend lifetimes, even those of the Avatar." She shot a look at the skeptical Sokka, who rolled his eyes when her gaze met his.

"I guess you're right," muttered Zuko. He looked at Sun Tzu, who was sitting in Mai's lap, and asked, "Do you think Aang's next life will be friends with my son? Since he's the Crown Prince, he'll take control of the throne when I'm gone." There was a long pause as everyone pondered Zuko's question, thoughtful and contemplative expressions on their faces.

Aang broke the silence and said, "I'm sure my successor would be great friends with your son. He might even be their Firebending instructor." Zuko smiled at the idea of his son being the one to teach the next Avatar how to Firebend. Gesturing to Katara, he added, "Besides, some friendships do transcend lifetimes. I know that our son would be friends with the next Avatar." He locked eyes with Katara and smiled lovingly, receiving the same look in return. She could see certainty in his stormy eyes, as if he already knew that his next life and their son were destine to meet. She loved to see the confident side of her Aang, for it reminded her of how much he had grown up over the years from the little boy she had freed from his icy prison.

"Hey, Aang," Sokka called out teasingly, "why don't you watch where you're going? You can make out with my sister later." They all laughed as the couple blushed profusely. Aang quickly turned his attention back to the skies, his face burning up with embarrassment. No matter how many years went by, Sokka would always be the one to tease Aang and Katara about how much they loved each other. But Aang and Katara knew it was his way of encouraging their love, and that he was happy with them together in happiness and love.

"Sokka," chided Suki as she playfully punched his arm, "don't tease them. If I remember correctly, you were the one who was crying at their wedding." Everyone chuckled as Sokka's face flushed.

"I told you, I had something in my eyes!" retorted Sokka, pointing to his eyes for emphasis. Suki looked at him with incredulously, playfulness in her eyes. He crossed his arms and said, "And besides, guys don't cry at weddings." He looked at Aang and confidently said, "Am I right, Mr. Avatar?"

Before Aang could answer, Katara firmly said, "First off, Sokka, Aang and I _both_ saw you crying, so don't even try to deny it. Secondly, we both had tears in our eyes. You have no idea how emotional we were at the time." Her tone softened as she said, "It was the happiest day of our lives." Without turning around, Aang smiled at Katara's words, remembering their wedding day with great fondness. "And what about you, Sokka? How are you going to feel when you're standing there on your wedding day with Suki?" The two warrior's faces instantly flushed, although Sokka's seemed more shocked than Suki's.

"Well, I don't know how I'd feel…" he said nervously, his eyes darting around to avoid Katara's gaze. Suki looked at him with a hint of sadness in her eyes, a slight frown on her face. Sokka found a sudden interest in his sword and began sharpening it, sweat appearing on his forehead as he avoided his girlfriend's prying eyes. Katara saw the pained look in Suki's eyes, and her heart went out the Kyoshi warrior. Everyone remained in an awkward silence as Aang continued flying Appa onward, the landscape rolling underneath them like an unending canvas.

* * *

><p>Within a few hours they had arrived at Mount Yami, giving the earthen titan a wide berth as they made their way to a small forest about ten miles away. A river ran by this forest and continued onwards past the dark mountain, shining in the sun like a bright blue gash in the earth. Aang set Appa down in a small clearing in the woods, and everyone disembarked from the Sky Bison to set up camp. As soon as Sokka's feet hit the ground, he turned to the others and said, "I propose that we set up a sentry system so that we can keep an eye on Mount Yami at all times. That way we can see if the Dark Legion or Mr. Scaly-face himself come knocking on our doorstep." Putting a hand on his chest, he said, "I, for one, do not want to wake up in the middle of night to find that…<em>thing<em> standing in our campsite." He shuddered at the thought of the dragon-like Ryu standing in their midst, an evil and sinister smile in his toothy maw. Dropping his arm back down, he said, "I'll take first watch while you guys set up camp. I'll show you all the location later." He turned away from them and began walking out of the clearing, the trees swallowing him up as he left.

Since Aang had not packed tents in the saddle, Toph and Meigui quickly made earthen tents for everyone. They lined up five tents in a row, each large enough to hold at least three people. They all determined who would sleep in what tent: Aang and Katara on the far end, then Sokka and Suki, then Dreo and Toph, then Zuko, Mai, and Sun Tzu, and finally Ursa and Meigui. They then placed mats inside the tents, but Aang placed his mat on top of Katara's. The Waterbender saw him do this and said, "Aang, you don't need to give me your bedding. I can sleep fine with just one mat."

"I know," said Aang as he came out of the rock tent, "but considering that you're heavily pregnant, I think you need more comfort and support." Gesturing to the tent, he said, "That's why I'm giving you my mat, so you can sleep better with the baby." He watched as his wife crossed her arms, a slight scowl on her face. He knew by the look on her face that she wasn't pleased with this idea.

"For the last time, Aang," she said firmly, "I am not _helpless_. We both know that the baby is going to be coming soon, but I can still look after myself." She turned away from him, mad that she was being treated like some kind of delicate flower. Aang sighed heavily; convincing Katara to take his mat would not be easy.

"Please, Katara," he said pleadingly, "don't make this any harder than this has to be." She scoffed at him, still feeling very much displeased. He suddenly thought of a way to cheer her up, and a mischievous smile came across his face. "Do you remember that one time about five years ago, when we were in Ba Sing Se watching the sun set?" She didn't answer him, her back still to him. "Do you remember what I told you that evening, what I said as the sun began to set over the horizon?" She continued being silent, but he was determined. He walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist as he placed his head on her shoulder. Leaning into her ear, he whispered. "I said that I would always care for you, that I would make sure that you are always taken care of." He tried to look into her eyes, but she kept looking off to the side.

"The reason I may seem overprotective of you at this time," he said quietly, "is because I love you and I want to make sure that your pregnancy is as painless as possible. I may not be carrying our son in my body, but he's just a part of me as he is of you." He could feel her begin to relax, and he knew that he was succeeding. "When we got married, I promised that I would help you in any endeavor that you undertake…that includes bearing children." He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I promise that if we have a second child, I'll be more lenient during that pregnancy. Does that sound good to you?" She turned around to face him, his arms still around her waist as she put her hands on his chest. He looked into her eyes, seeing the softness that dwelled beneath those stunning blue eyes.

She smiled at him and said, "Yes, it does." They closed their eyes and kissed each other, their love mending the tiny rift their brief scuffle had caused. They leaned back from the kiss and opened their eyes, smiling affectionately at one another. "I'm sorry I got so huffy with you," she said. "It's sweet of you to be looking after me like this, and sometimes I just let my frustration of getting this special treatment from you go to my head."

"Katara, my dear love," he said, causing her to blush, "there's no need to apologize. Back at Gufeng, you told me that I am the reason you exist." He touched his forehead to hers and said lovingly, "_You_ are the reason _I_ exist. I will do anything to make you the happiest woman on this planet."

"You already have," she replied softly. "I married you." Aang's heart fluttered at those three words, his love for the Waterbender bursting forth like a raging river. Both of them blushed deeply as they leaned in for another kiss, their unbridled love for each other binding them even closer together. They remained that way for several seconds, reveling in their loving embrace. They soon separated and stared into each other's eyes, nothing but the purest love pouring out from their souls. After a minute, Katara kissed his forehead and playfully said, "Come on, Mr. Avatar, you've got some training to do." Aang nodded and separated from his wife, taking her hand as the two walked towards the others.

Ursa, Mai, Sun Tzu, and Suki stayed behind at the campsite while Aang, Katara, Zuko, Toph, Dreo, and Meigui made their way to the river just on the outskirts of the forest. Katara sat down and watched as Aang went through his paces with air, water, and earth, going through the countless forms and stances as he bent each element flawlessly. Zuko did some Firebending training on his own, bending the fire that he created with all the grace of a master. Toph and Meigui began their Earthbending training, the very earth underneath them shaking as they bent numerous rocks and generated earthen pillars. Dreo went through his Airbending training, whipping up a breeze as he went through his flighty stances. After a couple of hours, Aang began training with Zuko in the element of fire. The two Firebenders trained for almost an hour, countless flames being shot at each other. After Firebending training, Toph had Meigui work on some Earthbending tasks to improve her technique. The blind Earthbender, the Air Nomad monk, and the Fire Lord then ganged up on the Avatar, putting him through an intense regiment of earth, air, and fire. Aang used the four elements against his opponents, expertly using each element in tangent with the others. They sparred for almost an hour and a half, sweat covering their bodies when they were finally done. Katara applauded them on their performance, smiling at her friends the whole time. She secretly wished that she could join them in training, but she knew her pregnancy prevented her from doing so.

After their training session was over, they made their way back to the campsite as the sun began to set. They found Ursa, Mai, Sun Tzu, and Sokka there, while Suki was away on sentry duty. Sokka then took everyone to show them where the lookout post was, which was a fallen log on the edge of the woods about five hundred feet from the campsite. The lookout post gave a clear view of Mount Yami, ensuring that the group would have advanced warning of the Dark Legion's approach. They then went back to the campsite and had supper, which consisted of stewed rabbit-hares that Sokka had managed to catch while hunting, and fruit and rice for those who were vegetarians. Sokka took a bowl of rabbit-hare stew out to his girlfriend, sitting with her and talking for a while. After about an hour, Sokka took Suki's place on the sentry post, and the Kyoshi warrior made her way back to the campsite. They all sat around for a while talking, telling stories from their travels during and after The War. A few hours later, they went to bed as the stars came out. Dreo volunteered to take the night watch when Suki came back from the lookout post, allowing the Kyoshi warrior to get some well-deserved rest.

Hours passed by as Team Avatar slept peacefully in their tents, the sound of their sleeping filling the still night air. Toph was sound asleep on the ground, her bare feet and hands touching the ground to extend her senses. She could feel the trees all around them, and the sleeping figures of her friends in the tents next to her. She extended her senses and found Dreo at the edge of the woods, his body still as he looked in the direction of the Dark Mountain. She smiled to herself in her sleep, glad to see her boyfriend taking on an important role. But she twitched as she felt something else…a presence that was coming up on the camp from the right side. She could feel the presence shuffling along, moving slowly towards the campsite. Her pale eyes immediately shot open in alarm, fully awake at that moment. She quickly jumped out of her tent and quietly shouted, "Everyone wake up now!" She hit the ground with the heel of her foot, sending a small shockwave through the tents. Several grumbles could be heard as everyone came out of their tents, rubbing their sleepy eyes. "There's someone coming!" she said sharply, causing everyone to suddenly become alert. She pointed behind the tents and said, "One person coming from that side, about four hundred feet away."

Aang nodded as the blind Earthbender dropped her arm and quickly said, "Sokka, Zuko, both of you come with me." The two men nodded and followed the Avatar into the woods, leaving the others behind. Using his Earthbending senses, he quickly found the intruding presence. Making their way through the trees, Aang quickly signaled to either side of him. Sokka drew his sword and went left, while Zuko went to the right. Aang then hid behind a tree, waiting for the presence to come closer. After several excruciating minutes, he could hear the sound of shuffling feet along rough soil. Ragged panting could be heard in the air, the sound of a person in pain. Aang braced himself and jumped out from behind the tree, shouting "Halt!" The figure stopped about ten feet from Aang, cloaked by the shadow of a tree. Suddenly, Sokka and Zuko appeared on either side of the figure. The figure looked to the left and right, seeing the trap that had been laid. "Who are you?" demanded Aang, determined to protect his friends from the intruder.

"Wait!" exclaimed the figure, holding up a hand as an indication to stop. "I'm a friend!" the figure said in a deep voice, a rich tone that was associated with nobility. Aang, Sokka, and Zuko eye's widened, realizing that the voice belonged to a man. They could see that the hand he held up was his right one, while his left hand held his right side. The man dropped his hand, slightly doubling over in pain as he moaned.

"Zuko," said Aang urgently, "we need a light." Zuko held his hand out and lit a fire in it, illuminating the area around them in an orange light. As the man came into view, their jaws dropped in unison. The man was disheveled, his black hair a complete mess as it fell down his head. His armor was in shambles, several burn marks and dents covering the once pristine metal. There was a gash on his right side that cut through the armor, dried blood caking the wound and his leg. But what was the most stunning feature on the man were his eyes, for they shone bright gold. Aang looked at the man in disbelief and breathlessly said, "No…it can't be…"

The three men continued to stare at the man, not believing what they were seeing. Standing there, bathed in the light of Zuko's flame…was Gregor. The noble Firebender smiled tiredly and said, "Good to see you, my friends." He closed his eyes and moaned as he fell to the ground, kicking up dust as he landed on his back. Aang, Sokka, and Zuko stood there for a moment, stunned by the return of Gregor. Their surprise was cut short as they realized that the Firebender was hurt.

"Gregor!" Aang called out as he knelt by his fallen friend. When Gregor didn't respond, Aang looked up at Sokka and Zuko, saying, "He's unconscious. We have to get him back to the others right away." Both of them nodded, and the Avatar gathered up the High-General. He picked up Gregor and put his body on his shoulders, grunting under his dead-weight. Sokka and Zuko made a move to help him, but Aang said, "I got this. Just be ready to catch me if I fall." The three men then made their way back to the campsite, walking for several minutes.

Soon they came upon the campsite, walking out of the trees and making their way around the tents. They saw everyone's eyes fall on them, slightly confused as to why they were carrying a person. Sokka quickly said, "We found out who the person coming toward us was. It was Gregor!" Everyone gasped as Aang swiveled around to show them Gregor's face, buckling slightly underneath the Firebender. "He's badly hurt," Sokka added. Looking at Toph, he said, "Toph, do you think you could-"

"Way ahead of you, Snoozles," cut in Toph, cracking her knuckles in preparation. She stomped her foot and raised her arms, erecting a rock tent that was set apart from the others. Aang made his way over to the tent and gently set Gregor down inside, taking care not to drop him. The Firebender made no noise except for his shallow breathing. Meigui looked on at the scene, her concern for Gregor growing by the minute.

Katara made her way over and knelt by Gregor, examining the wound on his right side. Looking at Aang, she said, "I need some water to heal his wounds. Get a flask, go to the river, and fill it up with water. Hurry!" Aang nodded and sped towards Appa, getting a water flask out of the saddle. He then shot off with a burst of Airbending, sprinting towards the river as fast as he could. Katara looked at Toph and said, "Go get Dreo. He would want to know that his brother's alive." Toph nodded and ran off in the direction of the sentry post. "Suki," she said, "help me get his armor off." The Kyoshi warrior nodded and sat down in the tent, helping Katara take off Gregor's armor. Underneath his armor, Gregor was well-built, his hard muscles showing through on his skin. Meigui caught sight of his muscular chest and blushed, slightly averting her green eyes from the unconscious Firebender. Katara looked closely and saw that several burn marks covered his chest, black spots that were grim reminders of Ryu's dark power.

Just then, Aang sped back into the camp, whipping up the wind as he screeched to a halt by the tent. He gave Katara the flask, putting the strap on her shoulder so the flask hung at her side. He opened it for her, and she bent the water into liquid gloves on her hands. She pressed her hands to Gregor's wound, the water glowing with a healing light. Just as the water began glowing, Dreo burst into the campsite, running towards the tent as fast as he could. "Gregor!" he cried out, panic seeping into his voice. He was stopped at the entrance of the tent by Aang, who held him back and prevented him from disrupting Katara's work. "Move, Aang!" shouted Dreo, pushing against the Avatar as hard as he could. "I have to see him!"

"Dreo, calm down," said Aang firmly as he fought to hold the young monk back. "Your brother will be fine, but you need to let Katara heal him." Dreo grunted as he tried pushing again, only to be met with a stout resistance from Aang. After several minutes, Dreo finally gave up and walked away from Aang, standing a few feet from the tent with an anxious look on his face. Aang looked back at Katara and said, "Do your thing, honey. No one's going to interrupt you while I'm here." Katara glanced at him and nodded gratefully before she returned to her work, focusing as she healed Gregor's wound. Aang walked to the side of the tent and stood guard, crossing his arms across his chest as he leaned against the rocky infirmary. Looking at Dreo, he asked, "Where's Toph?"

"She came by and told me about Gregor," replied Dreo, his eyes still focused on the body of his brother. "She took my place at the lookout post. She said that it was more important for me to see him then her." He paused as he thought about what he had said, and he slapped his palm to his face. He dragged his hand down and said, "Crap…she pulled a blind joke on me…" Despite the current situation, everyone laughed at the fact that Toph had pulled a fast one on her boyfriend. After their merriment was over, they all fell silent as they looked at Gregor, anxiously awaiting any news on his condition.

After an hour of tense waiting, Katara and Suki emerged from the tent. Everyone perked up at that moment, waiting for the two women to say how the Firebender was doing. Katara sighed heavily and said, "It turns out that Gregor's injuries were more extensive than we first thought." She saw everyone's eyes drop and quickly added, "But none of them are life-threatening." They all sighed in relief, glad to hear some good news for once. "He has a severe gash on his right side, so he'll be a little weak from all the blood he's lost since the time he was wounded. Fortunately, we were able to close that up and bandage it with some clean sheets. He had some minor burns on his hands, but my healing powers were able to clear those up. He had some bruises on his chest where the armor was dented, as well as some burns, but those were no trouble." A nervous look entered her eyes as she hesitantly said, "He did have some internal damage, but it was nothing serious. However…I don't know when he's going to wake up from his unconscious state…it could be several days, even with all the work I've done on him." She looked at each of them and said, "We all should get some sleep. There's nothing else we can do for now." Everyone except for Katara, Aang, Dreo, and Meigui made their way back to their respective tents.

Aang made his way over to Katara and took her hand, a smile on his face at the hard work she had done. She smiled back at him, glad that she did what she could to help Gregor. The two began making their way back to their tent when Meigui called out, "Katara?" The Waterbender turned her head to look at the red-headed Earthbender, a curious look on her tan face. "Do you think I could stay with Gregor…in case he wakes up and needs something?" she asked hesitantly, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. Katara smiled kindly at the Earthbender and nodded, eliciting a smile from Meigui. "Thank you," she said happily, quickly making her way to the tent and kneeling by Gregor's side. Meigui looked at Dreo, who was still nervously waiting outside the tent, and said, "You can get to bed, Dreo. I'll take good care of your brother. I promise." She smiled at the Airbender, who gave her a timid smile before he returned to his tent. The red-headed woman then turned her attention to Gregor, concern and worry filling her verdant eyes.

Aang watched as a sad look came over Katara's face, sad reminiscence filling her cerulean eyes. Aang squeezed her hand in order to comfort her and whispered in her ear, "I know what you're thinking…this is reminding you of when Azula shot me in Ba Sing Se and I was unconscious for a few weeks." Katara turned her head to look at him, melancholy clear on her beautiful face.

"Yes…" she replied quietly. She reached around his back with her right hand and touched his back where his scar was, pressing her hand against it through his robes. Aang hissed slightly as she touched his lightning scar, reminded of the horrible pain that had temporarily ended his life. "Sorry," she said softly, but he gave a kiss on the cheek to assure her that he was fine. When he leaned back from his kiss, she quietly said, "This is just a terrible reminder of how close I had come to losing you…" She looked pleadingly into his eyes and said, "Please, Aang…never again…please promise me that I will never have to go through the pain of losing you to war again…" Her sadness came to a critical point as tears began appearing in her eyes, bringing pain to Aang's heart.

Aang kissed her on the lips, trying to bring comfort and solace to his aching soul mate. When he separated from her, he whispered, "I don't know if I can promise you that I'll return from the final battle with Ryu…but I will do all that I can to come back to you…and our son." Katara nodded in understanding, relaxing at Aang's words of comfort. The Avatar smiled and wiped away his wife's tears, saying, "Let's get some sleep. You must be tired after healing Gregor's wounds."

"Yeah," replied Katara, the weariness in her voice apparent. Looking back at Gregor, she said, "I wonder how Gregor survived his Agni Kai with Ryu." She turned back to Aang and said, "From what you told me, I would imagine that Ryu would be a challenging opponent, especially under the power of the Dark Draconus." Aang nodded in agreement with her, but he had no answers for her. Without saying anything else, the two made their way back to their tent and went back to sleep.

Meigui brushed her hand through Gregor's dark black hair, feeling much closer to him than she had in all the time she had known him. She smiled affectionately at the unconscious Firebender and quietly said, "Don't worry, Gregor…I'm here now. Everything's going to be alright." She took her hand out of Gregor's hand and lay next to him, her face towards him. "Good night," she said. "I'll check on you throughout the night." She closed her eyes, and soon the invisible hand of peaceful sleep came over her.

* * *

><p>Not much happened the next day, and soon the group fell into a standard procedure. Lookouts would be posted throughout the day to keep an eye on Mount Yami while the others would relax at the campsite and the fighters would train by the river. Meigui never left Gregor's side, watching over him with the vigilance that Katara had demonstrated with Aang a decade before. When Katara came to check up on Gregor, she would bring food and water to Meigui, who took it without hesitation and scarfed it down so she could resume her watch over the Firebender. Katara smiled at the Earthbender's resilience, reminding her very much of when she was a head-strong fourteen year old girl who refused to leave her best friend's side during his time of need.<p>

But then everything changed the morning afterwards.

As the sun rose on the horizon on the third day since Team Avatar's departure from Gufeng, its ray stretched out over the land and passed over their campsite. Everyone (except Suki, who was on lookout duty) was fast asleep in their tents, not having yet woken to the heralding dawn. In the medical tent, Meigui slept quietly next to Gregor, who was still unconscious. Suddenly the Firebender stirred, groaning as he finally came out of his coma. Meigui slowly came out of her sleep, half opening her eyes as she looked at Gregor. Seeing that he was moving, her eyes instantly shot open. She quickly sat up and got on her knees next to Gregor, a bright smile on her happy face. "Welcome back," she said cheerily, her green eyes fixed on the rousing High-General.

Gregor slowly cracked his golden eyes open, looking up at Meigui with slight confusion. Looking at his surroundings, he saw the earthen tents outside of his own. "…Where am I?" he asked tiredly, still too weak to do much more than lie there.

"You're in the campsite of Team Avatar," she replied, causing Gregor to look back up at her. "Aang, Sokka, and Zuko found you in the woods shortly before you collapsed. Katara healed your wounds…although…" She gestured to his bare chest with her eyes, a blush appearing on her cheeks as she giggled. Gregor followed her gaze and saw that his armor had been removed, a white bandage covering his right side where the gash had been. Gregor immediately blushed at how much of him had been uncovered, although he didn't make a move to cover himself with his arms.

"Oh dear," he said with a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "It would seem that much of me has been exposed to everyone these past couple of days. How indecent of me," he added, eliciting a small laugh from Meigui. He looked back up her and said inquisitively, "Have you been watching over me the whole time?" Meigui's blush reddened as she stopped laughing, a timid smile coming across her face.

"Yeah…" she replied sheepishly, her gaze fixed on Gregor's bright eyes. "I was just worried about you…I wanted to make sure you woke up…" Gregor could sense the nervousness in her voice, as if she was hiding some hidden feeling from him. "Aang told me what you said back at Mount Yami…" she said hesitantly. "Did you really mean what you said…about forgiving me and apologizing for hating me?"

With all the strength he could muster at the moment, he reached out with his right hand. He lightly took Meigui's hand in his, causing her blush to double in its ferocity. He looked sincerely into her eyes and said, "Yes…I forgive you for your past dealings with the Dark Legion. Had I known the truth of your change of heart, things would have turned out differently and my emotions would not have gotten the better of me." He gently squeezed her hand and added, "And I most certainly do not hate you, Meigui of the Earth Kingdom."

The red-headed Earthbender kindly smiled and replied, "I don't hate you too, Gregor of the Fire Nation." She leaned over him, her face coming ever closer to his. As they closed their eyes, their hearts were fluttering with a new sensation…love. Gregor felt as her lips gently pressed against his in a tender kiss, and all his pain vanished in an instant. The two young adults reveled in the moment of their first kiss, gentle love pouring from their hearts. Both of their faces were bright red, burning up in the heat of this wonderful sensation. Soon they separated and Meigui sat back up, looking lovingly into Gregor's eyes as she smiled. Gregor returned the smile, feeling a happiness that he had never felt before. "I should…get the others," she said clumsily, still recovering from the kiss she had initiated. Gregor simply nodded and felt the Earthbender leave the tent. He leaned his head back against the pillow, feeling peace wash over him like a cleansing creek.

Within a few minutes, he felt Meigui kneel back down by his side and take his hand. He looked up to see his friends standing outside of the tent, happy smiles on all their faces. Gregor chuckled and said, "I guess the Gaang's back together." Everyone chuckled in unison with him, truly glad that they were all alive and well.

Sokka noticed what Meigui was doing and said, "Wait a minute…are you guys _holding hands_?" Everyone looked at Meigui's hand, and they did indeed see her fingers interlaced with Gregor's. Dreo gave his brother a thumbs up, an estatic smile on his face. Sokka grinned smugly and said, "I knew you two liked each other. So…does this mean you two are together?" Both Gregor and Meigui blushed and looked at each other, sharing a secret smile between them.

"Yeah," Gregor said dreamily, "I guess you could say that." Meigui chuckled as she leaned in and kissed her new love interest lightly on the lips, which Gregor reciprocated with as much love as her. This earned them a small cheer from the crowd assembled before them, giving their full approval of the new couple's relationship. Meigui leaned back from the kiss and smiled at her friends, her blush permanently attached to her face.

"So, big brother," chimed in Dreo eagerly, "how did you manage to escape from your Agni Kai with Ryu? We all thought you had died while fighting him." Everyone looked at Gregor expectantly, waiting for Gregor to tell the tale of his daring escape from the clutches of the deadly Emperor of Darkness. Even Meigui looked at him with interest, for she was wondering the same thing as everyone else: How did he do it?

"That, my dear sibling," said Gregor, "is a tale all in and of itself." He paused and said, "Now listen carefully, for the story I am about to tell may seem hard to believe. They all leaned in to listen to his story, eagerness present on their faces. Gregor then began telling his story:

_There I was, trying to redirect the deadly lightning that the dragon-like Ryu had shot at me. I could feel his dark power coursing through my body, threatening to overtake my heart and end my life. I knew I had to protect my friends and ensure that they made it to safety, even if it meant sacrificing myself. "GO NOW!" I shouted to them, stepping forward and blasting the lightning back at Ryu. The demon Emperor simply swatted aside the counter-attack as if it were nothing but a beetle-fly, sending the black bolt screaming towards the rocky ceiling. The lightning exploded, sending large boulders crashing to the floor. "GO!" I shouted again to my friends as I turned to them, launching myself at the monster I had challenged to an Agni Kai. I punched again and again, blasting as many fireballs as I could at my opponent._

_I could feel the air suddenly blow behind me, and I knew that Aang was getting Zuko, Toph, Sokka, and himself to safety. Ryu blocked each and every one of my attacks, slicing through the fireballs as if they were nothing. I could hear angry shouting behind me, the sound of flying projectiles screaming upwards at my fleeing friends filling my ears. But the only thing in my mind was the beast before me, the very thing that threatened the peace we had worked over ten years to restore. This was my chance to end it all, right then and there…but I knew my chances of victory were slim. "__**Is that all you have to offer me?**__" hissed Ryu, his dark voice filling my head with images of death and devastation. He chuckled menacingly and said, "__**You're more pathetic than I thought.**__"_

_Ryu roared with the ferocity of a dragon and flew up into the air, his black wings carrying him high above me. I looked up and watched as he thrust his clawed hands at me, blasting dark streams of flames at me as he soared overhead. I built up a charge under my feet, waiting for the right moment. I released the energy and flew up into the air just as the black fire hit the ground. I poured more power into my fire jets, rising up to meet my foe. He punched at me, sending a large fireball towards me. I shot a billowing spire of flames at the attack, parting the black flames around me. Just as the fire dissipated, I was shocked to see Ryu speeding towards me. I kicked an arc of flames at him, but he dodged over it and kept coming at me._

_I knew that he was trying to close in and finish me off, so I flew backwards as I retreated. I continued shooting fireballs at the monster, but nothing seemed to affect him. He flawlessly blocked my attacks, and I knew that I had very little time left. As we were flying along, he managed to duck underneath me. Before I could block him, he appeared on my right side. He shouted and slashed out with his claws, slashing through my armor. I groaned as I felt his claws cut through my flesh, the red hot blood pouring from the wound. In the blink of an eye, I felt he punched me countless times in chest. I could feel his strikes denting the metal, shaking up my insides with each punch. Just when I thought it was over, he sucked in a large amount of air. I could hear the roaring flames rising in his throat, and I raised a small fire guard in front me as spewed black flames from his toothy maw. I could feel the terrible heat surround me, threatening to consume me. I could feel my hands burning, scorched as they blocked the attack._

_I felt the fire make my armor grow hotter, burning the skin underneath. I screamed in pain as I fell from the air, my armor smoking and burning in some places. After a few seconds, I hit the ground…HARD. I was surprised that I hadn't broken any bones from the fall, even with the force with which I was thrown to the ground. I slowly sat up, quickly putting out the fires on my armor. My top-knot had come undone, my hair falling down my head. I looked up and saw Ryu hovering above me, his devilish wings flapping with dark power. "__**I must say, Gregor,**__" he said darkly, "__**I'm rather disappointed in you. Your skills as a Firebender are legendary, yet all you give me is this pathetic display of bending.**__" He paused and said, "__**No matter. It ends here.**__" He roared monstrously as he began charging a black and purple fireball in his hand, and I knew I had to act fast. I looked behind me to see a tunnel carved into the mountain, one that was different from the one I came in. I jumped on my feet and ran into the cave, Ryu's roar filling my ears as I turned right. "__**DIE!**__" screamed Ryu, and in that instant he shot his final attack at me._

_I could feel the heat rising as the flames roared behind me, the darkness threatening to overtake me. I turned and saw the horrid flames racing towards me, a conflagration of death and horror. I bent a fire shield around me, deflecting the flames but throwing me back in the process. I hit the far wall and my vision went fuzzy, but I knew I was still alive. I heard Ryu laugh victoriously and shout, "__**The great Gregor is DEAD!**__" I heard more flames burning, but I knew that these were directed at me, but rather at the open air as he expended his energy in his triumphant moment. My vision slowly returned to me, and I realized that I was safe, for the enemy thought that I had perished in this dark tunnel. Gathering what strength I had left, I worked to close the gash on my right side. After several painful moments, I succeeded in closing the wound. I slowly got up and made my way through the tunnels for what seemed like an eternity, the dark tunnels around me were the only sight I saw for hours on end._

_I finally made it out of the mountain, walking into the bright daylight. The pain I felt from my burns and bruises was unbelievable, but I knew that I had to escape. I heard what sounded like a Sky Bison above me, and when I looked up I saw what seemed like Appa flying overhead. I watched as he made his way over to a small forest on the horizon, and my heart fell as I saw the distance I had to traverse. But I steeled myself and pressed forward, determined to reunite with my friends. I walked all day, my wounds slowing my progress as I walked across the open plain. I finally made it to the forest at nightfall, walking towards what I believed to be the center. Suddenly, I was ambushed by three men. One of them told me to stop and asked who I was, and I recognized the voice as Aang's. I knew in that instant that the other two men were Sokka and Zuko, and my heart soared for joy. "Wait!" I exclaimed, holding up my hand to stop them from hurting me. "I'm a friend!" I added._

_Aang asked Zuko for a light, and when he saw my face he said something I don't quite remember, but the disbelief on his face was clear. I smiled wearily and said, "Good to see you, my friends." The pain took me at that moment, my body too tired to carry on. I fell into darkness, and I knew no more…at least until I woke to see a red-headed angel watching over me, a happy smile on her heavenly face. "Welcome back," she said cheerily, and I knew I was home._

Gregor finished his story, leaving everyone to stare at him in utter amazement. Meigui had blushed profusely at the last part of the story, smiling lovingly at Gregor as he called her an angel. They were all silent for several minutes, too stunned for words. Katara broke the silence by saying, "By the Spirits…I had no idea that anyone could go through such an ordeal…and _live_." The others nodded in astounded agreement, unable to say anything.

"You should get a medal or something," piped in Toph. "It should be called the '_I Fought Against The Most Evil Creature In The World In An Agni Kai And Lived_' award." Gregor chuckled at Toph's suggestion, groaning slightly as his chest began to ache slightly. Everyone looked at him with concern, but he nodded his head to indicate that he was fine.

Before anyone could say anything else, Suki burst into the clearing and shouted, "Guys! You have to come see this!" Everyone looked at her as if she was crazy, and she groaned impatiently. "Come on!" she pleaded, running back into the forest. The others looked at Gregor, as if silently asking him for permission to leave.

Gregor chuckled and said, "Go on, you crazy kids. Go find out what's got Suki so excited." Looking over at Meigui, he added, "Besides, I've got my own guardian angel watching over me." Meigui smiled sweetly at Gregor, gently squeezing his hand. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Dreo, Zuko, Mai, Sun Tzu, and Ursa filed out of the campsite, quickly walking in the direction Suki had taken off in. A minute later they came out of the forest, standing next to the fallen log/lookout post. Suki pointed up towards the sky and said, "Look." They all did…and saw a sight that took their breath away.

There, on the horizon, were hundreds of airships slowly flying towards them. To the north of Mount Yami were forty-five airships that were light blue in color, the dark blue insignia of the Water Tribes on both sides. The fearsome bronze dragon head at the front of the airships had been replaced with those of two Koi fish, the mortal forms of the Moon and Ocean Spirits. The group grew tense as they flew over the mountain, half expecting them to be shot down, but no harm came to the Water Tribe airships. To the west was a massive fleet of one hundred airships, green in color and the insignia of the Earth Kingdom on both sides. Instead of the bronze dragon head up front, the Earth Kingdom airships had the head of a Badger-mole at the helm.

"Ahoy down there!" called out a gruff voice from above. They all looked up to see another Water Tribe airship above, and at the head of the small platform was a warrior in full battle armor. The warrior was Hakoda, who was waving down at the group of heroes below.

Katara and Sokka's faces lit up simultaneously, bright smiles on their faces. "Hi Dad!" they both called out simultaneously, waving back to him along with the others.

Hakoda raised a fist in the air and happily shouted, "The Southern Water Tribe has arrived!" This elicited a cheer from the group below, who watched as more Water Tribe Airships flew over them from the South. This group also consisted of forty-five airships, just like the fleet from the Northern Water Tribe. The colossal behemoths lumbered over the heads of the heroes, their engines roaring with all their might. Katara looked to the east and gasped, causing everyone to look in that direction. They saw a fleet of eighty Fire Nation airships, a light brownish red in color and the proud insignia of the Fire Nation on both sides, the bronze dragon head at the front of each ship. The sun rose behind them as they flew on, bathing the Fire Nation airships in a glorious light.

But even more incredible than that were their escorts, thousands of Sky Bison flying alongside the massive airships. The spectacular creatures were small in comparison to the airships, but their sheer numbers made up for that. At the head of each Sky Bison was a single Air Nomad, the sole passenger of the white beasts. Katara looked over at Aang and saw that he had tears in his eyes as he looked on at the spectacular scene unfold before them, a big smile on his face. She smiled at him and took his hand, saying, "This must be so great for you to see."

"It is," Aang replied happily without taking his eyes off the grand spectacle in front of them. He looked at her and, gesturing to the fleet before them, said, "This is every Avatar's dream, Katara…to see the four nations come together as one." He paused and said, "I just never thought I would see a sight as breath-taking as this…it's incredible." The two of them looked on at the sight, watching as the airships slowly glided over the land. His face suddenly lit up, and he said, "I'm going to fly them all in!" Before Katara could react, he suddenly sped off back to the campsite with all the speed of an Airbender.

"Aang!" she called out behind him, giggling at her husband's sudden antics. Several seconds later, they heard Appa growl as he took off, Momo flying off his back as he went looking for food. The Avatar's Sky Bison flew quickly over the heads of the group, speeding towards the arriving Air Nomads. Katara watched as Aang got closer to the fleet of Sky Bison, their greeting roars sounding off in the morning air like a mighty chorus. Katara laughed happily as she saw the thousands of Sky Bison follow Aang and Appa through the air, flying towards what would become the landing site for the hundreds of airships (which was a flat plain about three miles to the west of the small forest).

Sokka walked up next to Katara, chuckling at Aang's sudden enthusiasm. "That guy sure is something, isn't he little sis?" he asked with another chuckle, his face beaming with pride at the sight before them.

"He sure is," Katara agreed whole-heartedly, smiling as she watched the airships made their way to the landing site. _We can do this_, she thought to herself. _We can beat the Dark Legion and bring peace back into the world, and this new Fellowship of Nations will bring us all closer together than ever before…and it's all thanks to Aang_. She smiled to herself, thinking that Aang was truly the greatest Avatar who had ever lived.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: The Battle Plan

I'm back! :D I managed to finally get this chapter done after many delays to summer classes, but hey, school comes first right? :P I'm happy to say that I got a lot of hits and some reviews after I uploaded Chapter 15, and that made me feel good inside. :) Thank you to all of those who did review and to all those who support me and my work. With each new chapter, we're getting ever closer to the finale. :D Soon, I will show you the epicness that I have in mind. But for now...enjoy, read, and review! We're almost there! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Sixteen: The Battle Plan**

Aang stood at the edge of the small forest, looking out at the vast sea of tents that had been erected overnight. The sun began to rise in the east, bathing the city of the Fellowship of Nations with its bright rays. Team Avatar remained in their small clearing rather than erecting tents in the main campsite, preferring to stay closer to one another. The city of tents stretched for almost two miles, divided into four sections by nationality. The airships lay just beyond them, two hundred and seventy of them in all lined up in many rows for almost three miles behind the tents. The largest section of tents were those occupied by the Earth Kingdom troops, the second largest the Fire Nation, third Water Tribe, and finally the Air Nomads. Instead of tents, the monks simply slept on top of their Sky Bison in an area set just outside the main encampment. The closest to the forest were those of the Water Tribe, about a thousand yards away.

Aang looked down to see a single man leave the Water Tribe tents and walk towards the forest. As he came closer, Aang recognized the man to be none other than Chief Hakoda himself, still dressed in his warrior armor. The Avatar smiled at his father-in-law, glad that he could make it. Hakoda walked up to his son-in-law and said, "Good morning, Aang." The two men then gave each other a friendly hug, chuckling the whole time.

When they separated, Aang smiled and said, "Good morning to you too, Hakoda…I mean, _Dad_." The Water Tribe Chief chuckled at Aang, knowing that his son-in-law was still getting used to referring to him as a father.

"How's my daughter doing?" asked Hakoda. "From what you told me yesterday, it sounds like my little girl has been through a lot recently." He raised an eyebrow inquisitively and said, "I trust that you're keeping her safe, considering how far along she is in her pregnancy."

"Katara's doing fine," replied Aang with a cheery smile, his cheekiness assuring his father-in-law that his daughter was alright. He chuckled and added, "She's a tough girl…I mean she could fight even in her condition." Seeing the questioning look on Hakoda's face, he quickly said, "But she's not doing any actual fighting. I'm doing my best to take care of her, despite her protests of me being too overprotective of her."

Hakoda laughed lightly and said, "That's my daughter for you." He paused and said, "I was the same way when Kya was pregnant with Katara and Sokka…" A forlorn look entered the Chief's eyes as he said, "Katara told me about the Spirit World visit she had with her mother in a dream…she told me that Kya misses me a lot…and she wished that she could still be with me…" Aang could see the pain and sorrow in Hakoda's blue eyes, the agony of losing a spouse to death.

"I'm sorry," said Aang sympathetically. "I know how hard it must be to lose a loved one…I felt the same way when I almost lost Katara…the pain is almost too much to bear." He paused and said, "You must have loved her a lot."

"That I did…" replied Hakoda heavily, the memory of his wife's death still burning a hole in his heart. "…and I still do," he added softly. "I will never stop loving her for as long as I live, even if she is dead." A firm look entered his eyes as he said, "I just hope that Katara will not have to go through that pain with you, should you die in the upcoming battle."

"Hakoda," Aang said confidently, using his father-in-law's real name for emphasis, "I will do everything in my power to assure my safe return to Katara. We couldn't possibly live without each other. If something were to happen to her…" He paused for a moment, carefully choosing his words as to not reveal his secret vow to Roku. "…it would be the end of my world," he said conclusively, satisfied with his choice of words. Hakoda stared at Aang for several moments, as if trying to detect some hidden meaning behind Aang's words. The Avatar started feeling nervous, suddenly scared that Hakoda had seen through his ruse.

Finally, Hakoda sighed and said, "I trust that you will do whatever you think is necessary for Katara's safety. You have always looked after her all these years, caring for her even in her darkest times. I am proud to have you as my son-in-law, and not because you're the Avatar…but because you make Katara happy. You are a truly wonderful young man, and I'm glad you married my daughter." Aang smiled at his father-in-law, his face beaming with pride at the Chief's praise. Hakoda looked behind Aang and said, "Ah, there's the young man I came to see." Aang looked behind him to see Sokka walking towards them, also dressed in Water Tribe armor like his father.

Sokka raised a hand in greeting and cheerily said, "Good morning, Dad! Good morning, Aang!" He took his place by Aang's side and put his hands on his hips, sharply inhaling through his nose. He released his breath with an audible sigh and said, "Great morning to be alive, wouldn't you say?"

Looking around at the settings around them, Hakoda chuckled and said, "It certainly is, Sokka." Turning back to his son, he smirked and said, "You're in a good mood this morning. Did Suki give you a good time last night?" Both Aang and Hakoda burst out laughing as Sokka's face dropped, a bright blush scorching his face.

"Wha- ugh!" exclaimed Sokka, horrified at what his Dad had meant. "_No!_ Nothing like that! Why…why would you even _think_ that, Dad? That's disgusting!" Hakoda shrugged innocently and kept laughing, causing Sokka's blush to redden even more. "Besides…even if Suki and I _did _do something, and I'm not saying we have," he said while putting his hands up defensively, "both you _and_ Katara would pretty much kill me." Gesturing to Aang, he added, "Do you remember how I was back when Aang and Katara were dating? I used to be afraid that every time they went off by themselves something bad would happen…like she would get pregnant or something." Looking at Aang, he said, "Not that anything like that would have happened, mind you…I mean this is Aang we're talking about, and we all know that he respected Katara enough not to do that with her until they got married…but a brother can't help but worry about his little sister." Aang nodded in understanding, and Sokka directed his attention back to his father. "Actually, Dad, I need to talk to you about something-"

"I'm afraid that will have to wait for a moment," interjected Hakoda, holding up his gloved hand to cut off his son. Dropping his hand on the pommel of his sword, he said, "Sokka, you know that I'm getting too old to be fighting in anymore battles." Seeing the questioning look on his son's face, he said, "I've been the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe for a long time, and my old bones are starting to get the best of me. Someone else needs to step up and take my place, someone young and inspiring that our people will look up to with great admiration and respect…a great and cunning warrior to lead our men into battle in these darkest of times."

"Where are you going with this, Dad?" asked Sokka, not quite getting what the Chief was talking about. Aang instantly knew what Hakoda was doing, but for his sake he kept his mouth shut.

"What I'm saying Sokka," proudly said Hakoda, "is that I want you to be our tribe's next Chief. I am stepping down from active duty and placing the powers of my office in your hands." With his face beaming with fatherly pride, he said in a formal tone, "Congratulations, Chief Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. May the Moon and Ocean Spirits watch over you and guide you, and may you lead our people into an era of everlasting peace." Sokka's jaw dropped instantly, astonished by his father's action.

Sokka closed his mouth and shook his head before looking at his father and said, "Umm…I don't think I'm ready for this kind of responsibility yet. I mean, look at me." He gestured to his body and said, "No one's going to look up to a guy like me. I'm inexperienced, goofy, sarcastic-"

"On the contrary," Hakoda countered, "those are the very qualities that make you who you are. Your youth will allow you to relate more easily to the younger men of our tribe, and your sense of maturity will gain the respect of the elder members of our tribe as well." He paused and said, "Are you ready for the responsibilities that being the Chief of our tribe entails?" He waited for Sokka's response, the young warrior pondering his father's question.

After a long silence, Sokka nodded and firmly said, "Yes, Dad…I'm ready to be the new Chief of the Southern Water Tribe." He and Hakoda stared at each other for a long time, neither man moving an inch. Aang glanced back and forth between the two, wondering what was going to happen next. Soon, Hakoda and Sokka's hard looks soon melted into smiles as the two of them laughed and embraced one another. Aang smiled at the father-son moment, and he silently wished that Katara was here to witness her brother's newest responsibility as a man.

The two men separated, smiles on both of their faces. Hakoda patted his son on the shoulder and said, "Thank you, Sokka. I know you'll make a wonderful Chief." He paused and raised an eyebrow, asking "Now what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Sokka's proud face immediately grew timid, a light blush on his cheeks. Aang wondered what could have made Sokka act this way, like he had something to hide.

"Well, Dad, you see…" he said nervously. "There's this girl I know…actually I've known her for a long time, ten years in fact…she's really incredible, and I've been in love with her for years." He saw a knowing smile come across his father's face, only intensifying his blush. "…and I was thinking…would you give me your blessing to propose to this girl…her name's Suki, and I want to ask her to marry me. I want…want to make her the happiest woman on earth…all I ask for is your blessing, Dad." He looked at his father with pleading eyes, his blush gone from his face. Aang worked hard to contain his joy at Sokka's plan to propose to Suki, waiting for Hakoda to give Sokka his blessing.

After a long while, Hakoda smiled and said, "Sokka, my boy, you have my full blessing to propose to Suki. I know you'll be a great husband to her." He paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow curiously and asking, "Now do you have a betrothal necklace to give to her?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," replied Sokka. "I got the stone for it a few years ago when I was in the Earth Kingdom, and I've been working on it when no one's around." A mournful look entered his eyes as he looked down at the ground and said, "But…there's something that's been holding me back for a while…something that's prevented me from asking Suki to marry me…I want to take care of it tonight so I can propose to Suki tomorrow…" Aang knew that Sokka was talking about Yue, the first girl he had truly loved. Even after all these years, the young warrior still mourned over losing her.

"I understand," said Hakoda gently, patting his son again on the shoulder. Looking at Aang, he said, "I'm sure Aang would be more than willing to help you plan out how you're going to propose to Suki." Sokka looked up expectantly at the Avatar, his blue eyes almost seeming to beg for Aang's help.

"Of course I would," replied Aang cheerily. "I planned out how to propose to Katara all by myself." He paused and said, "When you do propose to Suki, you'll need to do it in the most special way possible so she'll feel so happy that she won't even be able to say 'no'. What are some special things that you and Suki like to do together?" Sokka pondered Aang's question, a contemplative look across his face.

"Well," he said thoughtfully, "Suki and I do like to take moonlit walks, and sometimes we train at night under the moon." He smiled dreamily and said, "You should see how moon light sparkles in her blue-green eyes…how her auburn hair glistens…I swear I lose myself in her beauty at night." His face suddenly lit up, and he happily said, "I got it! I'll train with Suki tomorrow night and…" His mind was working at full capacity, his creative gears spinning "…and then we'll have a sparring session. I'll _let_ her beat me and, when I'm down, that's when I'll propose to her. She'll never expect it!"

"Expect what?" asked a feminine voice from the forest, causing Hakoda to drop his hand from Sokka's shoulder. The three men looked back to see Katara walking towards them, her hands underneath her bulging stomach. Aang smiled at his wife, who looked absolutely radiant when the morning sun shone upon her. Katara smiled back at her husband, love and adoration in her sapphire eyes. She walked up to her father and hugged him, receiving a warm hug in return. "Hi, Dad," she said happily, glad to be with her father again. Her father said 'hello' in return, and the two separated from their hug. Katara took her place next to Aang and, looking at the three men, asked, "So what are you guys talking about?"

Before Sokka could intervene, Aang leaned over and cheerily whispered into Katara's ear, "Don't tell anyone this because it's a secret…but Sokka here is thinking of proposing to Suki." As soon as he said the word 'proposing', Katara's eyes went wide with surprise. When Aang had finished whispering, she immediately burst out into a giddy laugh and flung herself at Sokka, pulling him into a big hug and pinning his arms to his sides. Sokka's eyes bulged as his sister hugged him, almost as if the life was being squeezed out of him by her happiness.

"Gack! Hey, um…Katara…" he said in a constricted voice, "I know you're happy and all but…you're kind of _OUCH_ crushing me!" Katara mercifully let him go, and he panted as he sought to regain his breath from his sister's anaconda-viper hug. Looking up at Aang, he wearily asked, "Does she ever hug you like _that_?" Aang smiled and shrugged sheepishly, eliciting a small chuckle from Hakoda.

"Sorry, Sokka," giggled Katara, "but that's wonderful news! You're going to make Suki so happy!" She hugged herself, swaying from side to side, a happy smile on her face. "Oh, this reminds me so much of when Aang proposed to me," she said reminiscently, looking at her husband with fond eyes. Husband and wife locked eyes, love passing between their souls.

Hakoda coughed to get everyone's attention, saying "Well I must be going. There's a war meeting with the head of each nation and their generals taking place in about half an hour, and I want to listen in on it. I'll see you all there." They all said their good-byes, and the former Chief began walking back towards the camp. When he had walked about ten feet, he turned around and called out to Sokka, "Good luck with that thing you have to care of, Sokka!" He gave a thumbs-up to his son, who smiled and returned the gesture. Hakoda turned back around and kept on walking to the camp.

"What's he talking about, Sokka?" asked Katara, knowing that Hakoda wasn't referring to the proposal. Sokka looked back at his sister, his happy look slowly melting in one of mourning and regret. He looked down at the ground, his eyes averted from Aang and Katara as sadness filled his soul. Katara instantly grew concerned, wondering what could have caused Sokka to be this way. Sokka never regretted anything…except for one thing. "It's Yue, isn't it?" asked Katara, concern flowing in her voice like a river. "That's why you haven't proposed to Suki yet…you still love Yue, and you haven't let go of her."

"Yes…" replied Sokka mournfully, a depressive look in his eyes. Looking up at Katara, he said, "I've been holding on to Yue for ten years…and now I just want to let her go so I can move on and marry Suki. I love Suki with all my heart, but…after what happened with Yue, I was afraid the same thing might happen to Suki." A determined look entered his eyes as he said, "I wanted to talk to Yue tonight and tell her that it's time for me to move on. I want her to understand that I want to be with Suki forever, and that I can't keep holding on to the past."

"I think that's very wise of you, Sokka," said Katara proudly, an approving smile on her face. Holding her arms out, she said, "Come here and give your little sister a hug." Sokka smiled and did as she said, walking over to Katara and embracing her. Aang was touched at the brother-sister moment that was unfolding before him. Katara and Sokka turned their heads toward Aang, and Katara playfully said, "You too, Aang. You're a part of our family, and that includes being a part of family hugs." Aang chuckled and obliged to her invitation, joining in on the group hug. The three of them, the original Team Avatar, had been together for ten years. The bonds of friendship they had forged were like steel chains, incapable of being broken by anything. "We know you'll do what's right, Sokka," whispered Katara. "If you need any help with proposing to Suki, you can always ask us." The three separated from the hug, staring warmly into each other's eyes.

"I know," said Sokka confidently. He sighed and added, "You guys are the best. I don't know what I'd do without you." Aang and Katara just smiled at him, their bonds of friendship and family growing stronger by the second. After a few silent moments, Sokka gestured to the camp and said, "We should get going to that war meeting. Katara, Aang can fill you in on the details of the proposal while we're heading to the meeting." With that, the three of them started to make their way to the main camp, all the while Aang filled Katara in on his meeting with Hakoda and Sokka and all that transpired there.

* * *

><p>After almost twenty minutes of walking, Aang, Katara, and Sokka finally made it to the main command tent. This tent was much larger than any of the regular tents, thirty feet in length and almost twelve feet tall. The command tent sat on a low hill overlooking the main encampment, allowing the heads of each nation and their generals a clear view of the troops. The tent itself was red in color, clearly distinguishing it as Fire Nation with the emblem on the top. Adorned on either side of the entryway of the tent were the insignias for the Moon and Ocean Spirits, which happened to be the same as the insignias for Water Tribe Warriors (the moon insignianational emblem) and Waterbenders (the ocean insignia/Waterbending symbol). Above the entryway was the insignia of the Air Nomads, surrounded on either side by what looked like the stone arms of a Badger-mole that created an arch over the doorway. The stone arms had the insignia of the Earth Kingdom at the ends of the paws, showing the strength of the original Earthbenders.

Even more spectacular than the tent was the flag that flew up on the center post, the banner of the Fellowship of Nations flapping the light breeze. The flag was divided into five fields, four right triangles surrounding a diamond. In the upper left hand corner was the symbol of the Air Nomads in a field of white (the edge embroidered with Sky Bison), while the upper right hand corner had the symbol of the Water Tribes in a field of blue (the edge embroidered with two Koi fish, one white and one black). In the lower left hand corner was the symbol of the Earth Kingdom in a field of green (the edge embroidered with Badger-moles), while the lower right hand corner had the symbol of the Fire Nation in a field of red (the edge embroidered with Dragons). In the center diamond was an orange field with an image of Aang on it, his eyes and tattoos glowing white with the power of the Avatar State. Aang, Katara, and Sokka started in amazement at the banner of the Fellowship of Nations, the symbol of the unity of the four nations under the Avatar.

"Now _that_ is very cool," said Sokka, and Katara nodded in agreement with her brother. Aang stared at the image of him in the middle, transfixed by seeing himself in the Avatar State on a flag. He looked closely at the image, thinking that he was seeing something change. Suddenly, the white fabric turned black, the edge of the eyes and tattoos tinged with red. Aang gasped at his brief glimpse of the Dark Avatar State and closed his eyes, not wanting to look at the horrid image. He slowly opened his eyes, and the image returned to the normal white. Aang stared at the image in disbelief; he could have sworn he had seen the image change into the Dark Avatar State.

"Are you okay?" asked Katara, who was walking on Aang's right. The Avatar looked over to see Katara staring at him, a questioning look in her eyes. The two of them stopped and looked at each other as Sokka walked into the tent, leaving the couple alone outside.

"Yeah," he said in a half-lie, not wanting to tell Katara about what he just saw. "I guess I'm just nervous about this war meeting…I've never done anything like this before. Sure I've been to a lot of council meetings in the past, but those are nothing compared to this." He felt her hand slip into his, squeezing gently as she tried to offer him her comfort and support.

She smiled at him and said, "You'll be fine. I'll be next to you the whole time." Aang smiled at his wife, glad for her support. She kissed him on the lips and said, "Now come on, Aang…we've got a war to plan." Aang nodded, and the two of them entered the tent.

Inside the tent was a large round table, complete with a modeled layout of the surrounding region. A model of Mount Yami sat on the right side of the table, a miniature version of the dark mountain that still sent chills down Aang's spine. Surrounding the small mountain was the river that stretched on to the woods about seven feet away, scaled down from the distance of almost ten miles. Between the mountain and the woods was a small plain, completely barren and flat as far as the eye could see. A miniature version of Team Avatar's campsite and the forest surrounding it was on the left side of the table, clearly detailing their location. Next to the forest was the main encampment of the Fellowship of Nations, scaled down to fit almost in one or two feet of table space.

The table surrounding the war table was a half-circle that wrapped around, six seats along the length. Seated on the far left was the head of the Air Nomads, Monk Qiufeng himself, and the four elders of Gufeng standing behind him. Qiufeng looked up at Aang and smiled, pleased to see the Avatar again. The elders inclined their heads respectfully towards Aang, who returned the gesture with a smile. Looking back up, he saw that next to the Air Nomads were the Chiefs of the Water Tribes. Seated on the left was Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe, dressed in his battle armor and his warriors standing behind him as well as Pakku in his White Lotus robes. The elderly Chief looked up at Aang and nodded his head in acknowledgement, his blue eyes set firm on the Avatar. Aang nodded in return and, looking to right of Arnook, smiled. Seated next to Arnook was Chief Sokka, the newest leader of the Southern Water Tribe, with former Chief Hakoda standing just behind him. Aang and Katara caught Sokka's gaze, and the three smiled at each other. Katara mouthed the words, "I'm proud of you," to her brother, bringing out an even bigger smile from the young Chief.

Looking at the seat in the middle of the half-circle table, Aang was surprised to see that it was empty. He soon realized that this seat was for him since, as the Avatar, he would be expected to be at the head of the meeting. Looking to the right of his chair, he saw Earth King Kuei seated in his chair, his generals standing behind him as well as King Bumi in his White Lotus robes. Kuei looked up at Aang, a firm look on his face. Aang nodded in acknowledgment of the Earth King, receiving the same nod from Kuei. Looking to Kuei's right, he saw a sight that made him smile. On the far right side of the table sat Fire Lord Zuko, with his own generals standing behind him as well as Piandao, Jeong Jeong, and Iroh in their White Lotus robes. The Fire Lord looked up at Aang and Katara and smiled, glad to see that his friends had made it. Looking behind Zuko, they saw someone that surprised them…Gregor in new Fire Nation armor, a proud look in his golden eyes as he looked at Aang and Katara. His hair was back in its top-knot, and even his appearance seemed to have improved overall. Aang smiled and said, "I'm surprised to see you up and about, Gregor, considering what you've been through recently."

Gregor chuckled and said, "Not even an Agni Kai with the Emperor himself can keep me down. As Zuko's High-General, I must do whatever I can to fulfill my duty to him, no matter what condition I'm in." He paused and said, "Besides, I'm feeling much better thanks to Katara. If she didn't heal me, I probably wouldn't be here right now." Turning his attention to Katara, he bowed slightly and said, "Thank you, Katara. I owe you my life, and I intended to repay this debt."

Katara smiled and said, "You're welcome, Gregor." As the Firebender came out of his bow, she added, "You're my friend, and I would do anything to help you." Gregor and Katara smiled at each other, appreciating the strong friendship between the two of them. Aang and Katara made their way over to the table, walking around the left side to get to Aang's seat. The Avatar let go of Katara's hand and sat down in his chair, settling himself in for a long meeting. Katara looked around for a chair, but she saw none close by. "Umm…Aang?" she asked uncertainly, trying to get his attention. Aang looked over to his right at Katara and instantly knew what she meant.

He looked over to the Water Tribe warriors and said, "Excuse me." When one of them looked over at him, he gestured to Katara and said, "It appears that a seat has not been provided for my wife here. As you can see, she is heavily pregnant with our first child. It doesn't seem right for my lovely wife to have to stand while the rest of us are sitting down. Could you kindly retrieve a chair for her?" The Water Tribe warrior nodded and bowed, quickly making his way outside the back of the tent. Within a few seconds, the warrior came back in with a chair much like the others were using. The warrior set the chair behind Katara, who (with Aang's help) lowered herself down into it. "Thank you, my good man," said Aang to the warrior, grateful for the tribesman's assistance. Looking over at Katara, he smiled playfully and asked, "Are you comfortable, my dear?"

Katara chuckled and said, "I am now." She put her hand on Aang's, which was on the armrest, and said, "Thank you for that." Aang interlaced his fingers with hers, gently squeezing her hand as he smiled lovingly at her. The two seemed to stare at each other for hours, lost in their depth of the other's eyes. As Katara stared into Aang's storm gray eyes, she saw his unending love and adoration for her blowing through them like a great wind. As Aang stared into Katara's ocean blue eyes, he saw her love and trust in him flow through them like the endless ocean. After a few silent moments, they heard Sokka clear his throat to get their attention. Aang and Katara both blushed, slightly embarrassed by their small moment of intimacy before their audience. Katara took her hand off of Aang's and placed her palms on her stomach, supporting her unborn son. Husband and wife smiled at each other one last time before the meeting commenced, and the Avatar turned his attention to the leaders.

Taking on a formal tone, Aang looked around and said, "Greetings, my dear friends. Let this war meeting of the Fellowship of Nations commence." The leaders around him nodded in agreement, serious looks on their faces. "Today is a truly momentous day," said Aang proudly. Gesturing to the war council, he said, "Here we have gathered the leaders of four nations in one place, ready to make history by planning out the downfall of our greatest foe yet…the Dark Legion." He paused, allowing the dreaded name of their foe sink in. "This foe is unlike any that the world has faced before...this foe is merciless, heartless, and malevolent. They will stop at nothing but total world domination for their Emperor of Darkness." He paused again, choosing his words so that he could get the message across of just how dangerous the Dark Legion was. "This Emperor of Darkness is a truly fearsome man, a former general of Fire Lord Ozai's army known as Ryu." Out of the corner of his eye, Aang saw Iroh stroke his beard as a contemplative look came over his face.

"Emperor Ryu has a power like no other Firebender in the world, for he has consumed a jewel know as a Death Ruby." Looking over at the representatives from the Earth Kingdom, he said, "There was a cavern underneath Ba Sing Se known as the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness." He saw Earth King Kuei fold his hands underneath his chin, looking intently at the Avatar as he rested his elbows on the table. Turning his attention back to the others, Aang said, "In the Chasm are the Death Rubies, an ancient and powerful jewel that was used in the time before the Avatar by a group of dark benders to enhance their bending powers. However, only one found its way into the hands of the Dark Legion, the one that Ryu consumed. The rest were destroyed when my friends and I found the Chasm during our recent stay in Ba Sing Se. When a person consumes a Death Ruby, it causes a change within that person, especially benders. Since Ryu is a Firebender, his consumption of the Death Ruby caused his flames to burn black and purple."

Pausing again, Aang knew he was coming to the worst news of all. "Ryu has gathered a massive army to his side, perhaps as many as a hundred thousand soldiers consisting of benders and warriors from the four nations…maybe even more than that." He could see the shoulders of Kuei and Arnook hunch over as he revealed the strength of the Dark Legion, shaking their heads in stunned disbelief. Sokka just paled, remembering the sight of the grand army of darkness in Mount Yami. Grim looks came over Zuko and Gregor's faces, looking at Aang with firm eyes. Qiufeng looked down sadly, knowing full well that some of his own people were fighting for the Dark Legion…including his brother, Taifeng. "I'm afraid the bad news does not stop there," grimly added Aang, his gray eyes full of deadly seriousness. Everyone looked at him as he said, "Within the Death Rubies is a far darker power that is activated by an ancient chant that is said within the hollow cavern of Mount Yami. Through this ritual, Ryu has achieved a great and terrible power known as the Dark Draconus." Gesturing to Gregor, he said, "High-General Gregor, would you care to describe to the council Ryu's appearance in the Dark Draconus? You have fought against him yourself, and Zuko, Toph, Sokka, and I were all present with you when he first transformed."

Gregor nodded and said, "Of course, Aang." Looking at the council, he said, "When my friends and I stood before the Emperor and his army in Mount Yami, I never would have imagined what would come next. Ryu took his armor off, leaving his upper body completely bare." He paused as a dark look came over his face and said, "What I saw next was the stuff nightmares are made of…he began to transform, his skin rippling like the waters of the ocean. His skin turned to black scales, each one coated on the edge with a dark purple. His hands and feet grew claws, his hair turning into horns…and his mouth became like the maw of a dragon. He grew a tail out of his back side, and wings out of his back." He shuddered, remembering the horrid sight he had seen just four days prior. "He was like a dragon, only in human-like form. I have never seen such a terrible sight in my whole life. Ryu planned on killing us right then and there, but I stopped him by challenging him to an Agni Kai. That allowed an opportunity for the others to escape while I gave myself up."

"And how exactly did you make it out alive, High-General Gregor?" asked Chief Arnook sternly, a slightly skeptical look on his hardened face. "From what you make it sound like, this power that Ryu has obtained is enough to match to that of the Avatar's own skills." Kuei and Qiufeng nodded in agreement, their eyes focused on the Northern Water Tribe Chief.

"That, Chief Arnook, is tale all its own." Gregor then proceeded to tell the story of his Agni Kai with Ryu and how he managed to survive. When he finished, he said, "And that's how I'm standing before you today." There was a long moment of silence as everyone looked at Gregor, taking in what he had just said.

Kuei was the first to speak up. "It would seem that when Ryu is using the Dark Draconus, he is far beyond the skill level of even our greatest benders." Gesturing to Aang, he added, "Which is why the Avatar must be the one to face him in the upcoming battle. There is no one else who can match Ryu's power except for him, despite what Chief Arnook said about the Emperor being more powerful than the Avatar." Arnook looked firmly at the Earth King, his blue eyes boring into Kuei's spectacles. "Are we all in agreement that the Avatar must be the only one to face the Emperor of Darkness in final combat?" Kuei raised his hand, showing his support for Aang. Zuko, Qiufeng, and Sokka then raised their hands, leaving just Arnook's vote. After several tense seconds, Arnook raised his hand. "Very well," Kuei said as they all put their arms down. Turning to Aang, he said, "Avatar Aang, as the leader of the Fellowship of Nations, you have the final say in this matter. Do you accept this task, which is perhaps the greatest challenge you have faced in your lifetime? Will you face the Emperor of Darkness to preserve the balance of the world?"

"Yes," said Aang firmly, confidence brimming in his voice. "It is my duty as the Avatar to maintain the balance between the four nations, and the shadow of the Dark Legion is threatening to disrupt that balance. I will fight to preserve the peace we all have worked so hard to maintain, so that future generations can look back and see what we have done for them to live in safety." As he said this, Katara looked down at her stomach. She winced slightly as the baby kicked a few times, jostling her insides. Aang looked over at her, concern in his eyes. Katara looked at him and smiled, assuring him that she was fine. Aang smiled and nodded, turning back to the war council. "Now," he said, "what is the strength of our forces?"

"Nothing close to the strength of the Dark Legion," said Zuko glumly. "We have at most perhaps eighty-five thousand troops, which includes about forty-thousand warriors and archers, thirty-one thousand benders, five thousand Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation tanks, seven thousand Ostrich-horse and Komodo-rhino cavalry, two thousand Sky Bison." Looking at Aang, he added, "We don't even know the true strength of the Dark Legion's forces."

"I agree with Fire Lord Zuko," said Sokka suddenly, causing everyone to look at him. He got nervous for a second when all eyes were on him, but then he grew more confident. "I propose that we send a small scouting party to Mount Yami to see how the Dark Legion's forces are arranged."

"Are you mad?" cried out a Fire Nation General with long sideburns and a slightly large stomach. This General's name was Shinu, the same man who had been in charge of Pohuai Stronghold ten years ago. "That is a suicide mission!" Gesturing to Sokka, he vehemently added, "Why should we trust the judgment of someone who has been just recently been given his position of leadership? He hasn't even been the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe for a whole day, and he's already trying to take charge!" Sokka's face dropped as he looked down at the ground, feeling put down by Shinu's statements.

"The reason, General Shinu," said Hakoda firmly, "why I gave my son the position of the Chief of our tribe is because I have the utmost faith in his abilities. He is an excellent strategist as well as a cunning warrior, and he can relate to his friends and family very well. He will make a great Chief, make no mistake General." Shinu kept his eyes on Hakoda, narrowing them as he tried to stare the tribesman down. Sokka looked up at his father and smiled, glad for his support.

"I agree with Chief Sokka," chimed in Iroh thoughtfully, earning him an angry look from Shinu. "In my time as High-General of the Fire Nation, reconnaissance was an essential part of my strategy. It would very wise to send in a scouting part, since we do not know the true strength of our foe. I have just the man in mind for such a mission." Looking at the door, he nodded at the guards who were standing there. The guard on the left opened up the tent and motioned for someone to come in, and a man in Fire Nation armor came through the door. The man had gray hair and long sideburns, showing that he was somewhere in his late fifties. Gesturing to the man, Iroh said, "May I introduce Commander Jee, the senior officer who served Zuko during his banishment from the Fire Nation by Fire Lord Ozai."

Commander Jee bowed respectfully to the war council and said, "It is an honor to serve this Fellowship of Nations, as well as the Avatar." Coming out of his bow, he asked, "What is it that this council requires of me?"

"Your mission, should you accept it," said Iroh, "is to scout out the Dark Legion's forces in Mount Yami. We do not know their true strength, and we will need every advantage against our foe." He paused and said, "This mission will be extremely difficult, for the enemy is cunning and deceptive. Getting into the dark mountain will not be easy…there is a good chance that you and your men will not return. Do you still wish to take part, knowing full well that your life might be ended by the Dark Legion's hands?"

"I will lead the mission myself," said Jee confidently. "I will prepare my men and leave as soon as possible. Expect our return by tomorrow night." The council nodded at the Commander, who then bowed before he left.

After Jee left, Arnook said, "Now there is the matter of the Air Nomads to consider." Looking at Qiufeng, he said, "I know from my experience with Avatar Aang that the Airbenders a peaceful and non-violent people. So how do you plan on helping us fight the Dark Legion when two-thousand Airbenders will not use killing moves against the enemy?"

"That, my Water Tribe friend," said Qiufeng sagely, "is a very simple solution. While the Air Nomads cannot kill, for all life is sacred to us, there is another way for us to help you. One Air Nomad can pilot a Sky Bison whilst carrying Waterbenders and Firebenders in the saddle." Holding up each hand, he said, "The Waterbenders can provide defense against attacks from the ground while the Firebenders can attack the Dark Legion troops from above. And, if a Sky Bison is shot down, the Airbenders can use defensive techniques to hold off any attackers and possibly even drive the enemy back by doing so."

"That's very wise indeed, Monk Qiufeng," said Aang cheerily, earning him a polite bow of the head from the elder Air Nomad. Turning back to the council, he asked, "Now how are we going to arrange our forces? Even if we don't know how the Dark Legion's army is going to be structured, we need to be prepared ourselves." The council nodded in agreement with him.

"I think I can help with that," said Gregor. "We can put warriors on the front line and have different kinds of benders mixed in with their ranks to counter any threat, while the archers stay behind and provide cover. Firebenders and Earthbenders should be more towards the front for offensive purposes, while Waterbenders can be behind them a little ways for defense and battlefield aid."

"I have something to add," interjected Sokka. "You could also put the tanks on the front line to accompany the warriors while you have the Sky Bison circle above during the battle, and then we can keep the cavalry in reserve so we can hit the enemy from behind while we have the enemy occupied at the front." He paused and added, "Couldn't we also use the airships? I mean, they can drop bombs on the Dark Legion."

"That wouldn't work at all," said Bumi with a snort. "They're far too large of a target to be that effective. Earthbenders could shoot up rocks and knock out the propellers…at least, that's what I would do," he added with a short cackle.

"Bumi's right," affirmed Pakku. "There's also the enemy Airbenders to worry about. I doubt they would stick to non-violence when they tear our airships out of the sky with their bending. The Sky Bison are much more maneuverable and harder to hit than an airship. We'll also need the airships should we need to retreat quickly, so throwing them into the heat of battle would not be a wise decision." He smiled at his grandson-in-law and said, "But it was a good try, Chief Sokka." The young chief looked up at the Waterbending master with a smile.

"What about their commanding officers?" asked Zuko. "From what I can tell, Taifeng is in charge of the Airbenders, Jiliu with the Waterbenders, Long Feng with the Dai Li and Earthbenders, and Kongju and Azula with the Firebenders. Since that's the case, they must be the most powerful benders in the Dark Legion…minus Ryu, of course. How are we going to deal with them?"

"You bring up a good point, Zuko," said Aang. "More than likely, we'll have to kill them in order to create disarray in their ranks. Without their commanding officers, they won't know what to do and would slowly fall apart." He saw Zuko wince slightly and added, "Zuko, you know Azula would rather die than go back to prison. She's also far too dangerous to deal with, even if she is your sister. You might even have to kill her."

"I know," said Zuko darkly, "and if it does come to that…I will end her without hesitation." A dark light seemed to burn in Zuko's amber eyes, the smoldering flames of revenge. Katara became concerned at Zuko's darkened mood, and she knew he was thinking about his last Agni Kai with Azula ten years ago. The insane Princess had nearly managed to kill her own brother with lightning, and Katara was afraid that Zuko was going to do the same thing to her in the upcoming battle.

Before Katara could say something, Gregor said, "That's why I will fight by your side, Zuko." The Fire Lord turned to face Gregor, a look of surprise on his face. "I have a feeling Kongju is going to stick close by Azula so they can take on anyone they encounter, so that's why we have to work together." He smiled and said, "We're two of the most powerful Firebenders in the world. I think even Kongju and Azula will have a hard time taking us both on." Taking on a serious tone, he said, "I'll kill both of them if I have to. Our victory in the upcoming battle is paramount for lasting world peace, and some people must be sacrificed to achieve that peace."

Zuko was silent as he took in Gregor's words, a pondering look in his amber eyes. Finally, he smiled and said, "Thank you, Gregor. I'm glad you'll be by my side." Gregor nodded and Zuko turned back to the council. "So what have we covered so far?" he asked. "We've covered all available information on the Dark Legion, decided that Aang should fight Ryu, sent Jee and his men on the scouting mission, determined our plan of attack and formations, planned how we're going to take care of the commanding officers…I can't think of anything else at the moment."

Aang nodded and said, "In that case, this meeting is adjourned. We will meet again later tonight to further discuss battle strategies and plans of attack." He paused as he looked around at the council and sincerely said, "Thank you, gentlemen. I couldn't do this without your help…I know I couldn't do this without my friends either." As he said this, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Gregor smiled at Aang. "You're all dismissed," said Aang, causing everyone to get up and leave the tent. Soon only Aang, Katara, and Sokka were left. Aang smiled and said, "Good luck, Sokka. We're behind you the whole way."

Sokka smiled and said, "Thanks, Aang. I'll see you two later." He gave both of them a hug before he left the tent, leaving the Avatar and his wife alone. Aang and Katara smiled at one another, staring deep into each other's eyes. Aang reached over and took Katara's hand, interlacing his fingers with hers.

"Has the baby been bothering you much lately?" asked Aang playfully, eliciting a small chuckle from Katara. "I mean, it's been about nine months or so since you became pregnant." He paused as he placed his free hand on Katara's stomach, feeling the smooth skin of her abdomen underneath her clothing. Katara's smile grew larger at his touch, and she placed her other hand on top of his. Both of them remembered the day when she became pregnant with the baby, how excited and happy the two of them had been knowing that their love had created a child.

"Only a little more than usual," Katara replied. "From how much he's been kicking me, he might come sooner than we think." Aang stood up from his chair and helped Katara out of her seat, taking care to be gentle with her. She stared lovingly into his eyes and said, "At least when he's born, I'll be back to my normal size again." Both of them lightly laughed, love bursting from their hearts. Soon the two settled and Katara said, "Come on. Let's get back to the campsite." Aang nodded and the two of them made their way to the doorway. The Avatar held the tent flap open for her, a cheeky smile on his face as he gestured for her to go through first. "Such a gentleman," Katara said teasingly, smiling the whole time. She leaned towards her husband and kissed his cheek, eliciting a light blush from him. Soon the two were walking arm-in-arm through the encampment, talking the whole way back to their camp.

* * *

><p>The war council met later that day to discuss more battle strategies, and soon the day came to a close. That night, Sokka proposed that he would take the late night shift. As he walked off, Aang and Katara knew that he could see the moon from the lookout spot. They silently prayed that Sokka would find it in his heart to move on from Yue so he could propose to Suki. The next morning, Aang and Katara got up just as Sokka came back in from his shift. They asked him how his talk with Yue was, but he said nothing as he trudged over to his tent and plopped down on his mat. Aang and Katara looked at each other, concerned that perhaps it hadn't gone well at all. The rest of the day was spent either training or going to war meetings, and soon the sun began to set. The scouting party hadn't returned by night, and everyone at the camp became worried that they had been captured.<p>

Later that night, as the moon was rising over the clearing where Team Avatar was camping, Sokka stood up from his spot around the campfire where everyone was sitting and said, "Hey Suki. Wanna spar?" His girlfriend looked at him as he said, "It's been a while since we fought each other, and I figured we should brush up on our skills before the big battle."

Suki smiled at Sokka and said, "Sure." A playful smile came over her face as she said, "No tricks, all right?" Sokka's face paled at the word 'tricks', and Suki asked, "Is everything okay? You seem nervous for some reason."

Sokka shook his head and stammered, "M-Me…nervous? T-That's ridiculous!" Putting a hand on his chest, he nervously said, "Why would I be n-nervous about anything?" Putting his arms out to the side, he said, "I mean, it's just a little training. Nothing big…right?" He grinned sheepishly at his girlfriend, who chuckled at him in return.

"You can be strange sometimes, Sokka," she chuckled teasingly. She walked up to him and kissed his cheek, saying "That's why I love you though." Sokka's face turned bright scarlet as Suki took his hand and led him over to an area just off to the side. Aang groaned quietly to himself and Katara struggled to contain a giggle, the two of them both amused and embarrassed by how Sokka was handling the situation.

The two warriors stood apart at a distance, Sokka drawing his sword as Suki brandished her fans. They stared at each other with serious looks, their weapons glinting in the orange light of the campfire. The rest of Team Avatar stood about ten feet away, eyeing both warriors as they waited for one of them to make the first move. With a grunt, Sokka launched himself at Suki, his sword held down at his side. Suki easily sidestepped and spun around to strike at Sokka's back, but the young Chief turned quickly and blocked it with his sword. The two continuously struck blows at each other for several minutes, the metal of their weapons clanging as they struck again and again in a seamless blur. Sokka managed to jump over Suki at one point, spinning around and bringing his sword upward towards her. Suki managed to catch it in time and, with her other fan, struck Sokka in the chest several times. The young Chief stumbled backwards and then the Kyoshi warrior delivered the final blow, a swift kick to the chest.

Sokka cried out as he fell to the ground, his sword clattering several feet away from him. He looked up to see dual fans pointed at him, a victorious smile on Suki's face. "Looks like I win," she said proudly, eliciting a cheer from the women in the group and groans of disappointment from the guys. She stood up straight and folded her fans, putting them back into her Kyoshi warrior robes.

Sokka chuckled and said, "Yeah, you won…but in more ways than one." A confused look came over Suki's face as well as those of everyone else, except for Aang and Katara. The Avatar had his arm around his wife, who leaned her head against his shoulder as they looked on at the scene with smiles. Sokka slowly got up until he was on one knee, reaching into his armor for something. Bringing his hands out, he pulled an object out and held it reverently up to Suki. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands as she saw what the object was…a betrothal necklace. The stone of the necklace was made of jade, and the choker itself was black. The stone had an intricate design carved in it, a single unfurled fan with double swords crossing over it. Around the weapons on the stone was the outline of a heart, which enveloped the fan and swords. The design looked as if it was carved by an expert craftsman, a true masterpiece that was stunning to the eye.

"Suki," said Sokka as he looked up at the Kyoshi warrior, "we have been together for so many years, and I truly have come to love everything about you. You've helped me in my darkest hours and have always stood by my side, always telling me that I can accomplish anything. I know you must be feeling overwhelmed right now…but I want you to know something. Before I began my relationship with you, I loved another woman…you might remember her as Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe. I couldn't protect her, and I was afraid for a whole decade that the same might happen to you…but now, I've learned to move on from the past and look towards the future. If you're angry at me for taking so long to do this, I'll understand…but I have to ask you one thing first…Suki, will you marry me?" During the time that Sokka was talking, Suki's hands slowly slid down from her mouth to over her heart, a happy smile appearing on her face and tears of joy appearing in her eyes. The others waited in excited anticipation as Suki stared at the betrothal necklace while nervous sweat appeared on Sokka's forehead.

"Sokka…" whispered Suki quietly while she took his hands and pulled him to his feet. Looking down at the betrothal necklace, she gently took it from his hands and clamped it onto her neck. When she finished, she looked up at Sokka with tear-filled eyes and happily choked out, "Yes, I'll marry you." A big smile appeared on Sokka's face, and the two embraced each other as they passionately kissed. Everyone cheered their approval of Sokka's proposal, clapping as the two lovers continued to kiss one another. Aang looked over at Katara and saw happy tears fill her eyes, an overjoyed smile on her face as she looked on at Sokka and Suki. Aang smiled and kissed his wife on the head before turning his attention back to the couple before them. Sokka and Suki finally separated, and she quietly said, "You don't know how happy you've made me tonight, Sokka."

"I think I have an idea of just how much," replied Sokka in playful smugness, and the two kissed again, eliciting a louder cheer from the small crowd. Sokka and Suki separated for a final time, happy and loving smiles on their faces. All the girls went over to congratulate Suki, giving her warm hugs and hearty laughs. All the guys went over to congratulate Sokka on a job well done, giving him firm pats on the back and friendly noogies.

"Hey, Suki," said Toph, "let me feel your necklace." Suki obliged the blind Earthbender, bending down slightly so that Toph could feel the necklace. Toph ran her fingers over the necklace, and a look of amazement and genuine surprise came over her face. "Wow," she said, stunned by what she felt. Turning her attention to Sokka as she let go of the necklace, she said, "I owe you an apology, Snoozles. This betrothal necklace you made is just…beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I guess there is some artistic talent in that head of yours after all." She smirked at him and said, "Good job, Snoozles. You've certainly blown me away along with Miss…or rather _Mrs._ Fan Girl over here." Suki blushed at Toph's comment, glad that she approved of Sokka's handiwork.

"So when are you having the wedding?" giddily asked Katara, who was standing over by Suki. All the excitement she had felt when Aang had proposed to her just two years before came rushing back into her at that moment, filling her with sheer joy at Sokka's engagement to Suki.

"Slow things down, sis," said Sokka with a light laugh. "First, let's kick the Dark Legion's butt, and _then_ we can get on with the wedding." Katara nodded eagerly, still estatic at how well Sokka's proposal had gone. Sokka yawned suddenly and said, "Wow, is it really that late? I think we should all get to bed." Everyone nodded in agreement and made their way back to their own tents, except for Sokka and Suki. The two warriors stood looking at each other, affectionate smiles pulling mercilessly at their lips. "Come on, my future wife," he said merrily, holding out his hand. Suki chuckled and blushed, taking his hand in hers as the two walked to their tent. Suki put her head on Sokka's shoulder and closed her eyes halfway, feeling nothing but pure love for the man she was going to marry. Sokka smiled at her, and then looked up at the moon. "Thank you, Yue," whispered Sokka to the lunar orb.

The soon-to-be-newlyweds finally made it to their tents and laid down on the mats, softly conversing about the upcoming wedding, where they would live, and also whispering words of love and affection to each other before drifting off to sleep in each other's arms. The whole time Suki had been talking to Sokka, she kept thinking to herself of how Katara had been right all along. Sokka truly did love her, and he had proposed to her in the most special way, promising to be with her forever. Peace and relief washed over her soul, bliss pouring out of her heart like a waterfall.

High in the sky, Yue watched the couple with a gentle smile. "You're welcome, Sokka," she said softly, truly happy that Sokka was able to find the courage in his noble heart to move on from the past to be with the one he loves. A figure clad in blue came up on her right, and Yue turned to see who the new presence was. The figure, who was a woman, looked down to where Yue had been gazing upon Sokka and Suki. The woman smiled, for the man who had just proposed to his future wife…was her son, Sokka.

"Well done, my son," said Kya, motherly love pouring into her voice as she watched over her eldest child. Yue and Kya turned their attention back to Sokka and Suki, smiling at the two lovers. Yue gestured to Sokka's tent with a celestial hand, and a soft beam of moonlight shone upon the earthen structure. For the rest of the night, Yue's lunar blessing lit up Sokka's tent, showing the world the beginning steps of two lives being brought together as one.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: The Avatar's Child

Hello again, everyone. :) So I found time yesterday when I wasn't working on my project and after I had finished upload Chapter Sixteen to write up this chapter, and I managed to write about 7,500 words. :D I finished this chapter up this morning for your viewing pleasure. I enjoyed writing this chapter, and get this...I even cried a little at one point. I had legit tears of happiness in my eyes. :) You'll see what I mean when you read this awesome chapter. Enjoy, read, and review! :D

NOTE: Finale Part 1 is next! The end is near! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Seventeen: The Avatar's Child**

The next morning, Aang and Katara stood on the edge of the forest, standing hand-in-hand as they gazed out over the main encampment. This was their time to be alone together; Gregor, Meigui, Sokka, and Suki had gone down to the main camp, while Toph, Dreo, and Ursa were back at Team Avatar's campsite. Zuko and Mai (along with Sun Tzu) were in the middle of an early morning war meeting with the Fire Nation high command, one that Aang was not required to attend. Aang breathed in the crisp morning air and sighed, saying, "It's funny, really." Katara looked at him, slightly confused by what he meant. Aang looked at her and, gesturing towards Mount Yami, said, "For a place that holds such dark secrets, the mornings here are so lively and warm. It's like the darkness exists only within the mountain itself, leaving the rest of the landscape to its natural beauty."

Katara smiled and said, "Yeah, I suppose you're right." Aang always could see the goodness in everything he saw around him, even in the hearts of evil men. His optimism was one of the countless things she loved about him, how carefree and happy her Aang could be at times. Thinking of something important, she asked, "Are you nervous about having to fight Ryu? He's going to be far more powerful than Ozai was." Shuddering, she added, "He's also far more evil and insane than Ozai was…I'm worried that you might not come back…" A sad frown appeared on her face, love and concern shining in her blue eyes. Aang knew she was thinking about when he disappeared during Sozin's Comet, and how worried she had been about him back then.

Aang smiled and, with his free hand, cupped Katara's face in his palm. "Katara," he said reassuringly, "things are different this time…we know exactly how we feel about one another, how much we love each other. I will return to you, my love…I can assure you of that." Taking his cupping hand from her face, he placed it on her stomach and earnestly added, "I will defeat Ryu and make this world a safe place for you and our son. You two deserve only the best, and I will do anything to make sure you two are safe." Katara smiled lovingly at her husband, touched by his words of comfort and assurance. All her worry seemed to melt away at that moment, warming her soul with the complete and total love she had for Aang.

"I know you will, Aang," she happily said. "You'll do gre-" she began to say before she tensed up, her eyes widening with surprise. A confused look came over Aang's face, wondering what happened to cause this reaction in her. Katara put her free hand on her stomach, slightly doubling over as her face contorted into pain. She began breathing raggedly, and Aang instantly became concerned.

"Katara, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly as he leaned down so that he was at eye level with her, unsure of what was wrong with his wife. Suddenly he felt her convulse, a tremor racking her body like an earthquake. She gasped and hissed, scrunching her eyes shut from the pain. Aang felt completely helpless, and it pained him to see Katara in so much pain. Sweat began to appear on her forehead, and Aang said in a panicked voice, "Katara, please tell me what's wrong!" Katara looked at him and opened her eyes, shock and disbelief flooding her eyes.

Katara gasped as another convulsion hit her and breathlessly said in a mixture of fright and excitement, "Aang…I think the baby's coming." Aang's eyes widened as his jaw dropped slightly, taking in what she had just said. Dozens of emotions filled his mind all at once: love, happiness, joy, excitement, fear, nervousness, anxiety, and many others that even he couldn't recognize. All of these past nine months of worry and expectations had all led up to this one moment, the moment that would change their lives forever.

Aang took in a choked breath, smiling as hard as he could despite how turbulent his emotions were at the moment. "That's…that's wonderful!" he managed to say happily, eliciting a painful smile from Katara. The Waterbender's smile was cut short as another tremor racked her body, causing her teeth to grit together as she closed her eyes. Aang's face dropped and he said, "Oh…you're in pain!" Katara opened one eye at her husband and nodded firmly, pain present in her eyes. "We have to get you back right away!" said Aang urgently, and he quickly (and carefully) gathered up Katara in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck for support, and she cried out in pain again as the merciless convulsions continued. As Aang quickly walked back to the campsite, he kissed Katara's forehead and whispered, "Everything's going to be all right, Katara. I'll take care of you."

Katara smiled at him and quietly replied, "I know." She rested her head against Aang's shoulder, bracing herself for the onslaught of more pain in the coming hours. _At least I'll have Aang with me,_ she thought happily to herself. Glancing up to the sky, she sent a silent message to her mother: _Here I go, Mom. I'm going to become a mother today, and soon I'll have a baby boy to love and call my own. Please watch over me during this time, and give me and my husband the strength to make it through this. I love you…_ She finished her message to her mother just as another convulsion hit her, this one far more painful than previous ones. It felt as if someone was stabbing her from the inside, and her vision exploded into shards of unimaginable pain. She screamed as the stinging sensation coursed throughout her body, tears forming in her eyes.

Aang's heart wrenched when Katara screamed, and his heart went out to her. "Shh…" he whispered as he kissed her forehead again, which caused her to quiet down from her screams. "We're almost there," he said reassuringly, moving as quickly as he could.

Soon they burst into the campsite and came upon the rest of Team Avatar, surprised looks on their faces. Toph was sitting around the campfire with Ursa, while Dreo was nowhere to been seen at the moment. Toph looked up and said, "What's wrong, Twinkle Toes? You're heart's racing like a cheetah-lion." She sensed that Aang was carrying Katara, but something seemed different about the Waterbender. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, as if something was trying to break out.

Before Toph could say anything, Aang quickly said, "Katara's gone into labor. She's having the baby!" Ursa gasped while Toph's eyes widened, surprise clear on their faces. Looking at Toph, Aang said, "Toph, do you think you could make a tent for Katara? Something big and spacious, but tall enough for air and light to get into, sort of like what you did with that couple in the Serpent's Pass ten years ago." Toph nodded and stood up, quickly making her way behind the tents to an area just big enough to suit her purposes. As Aang followed her, he looked at Ursa and asked, "Could you find Dreo? I need his help."

Ursa nodded and said, "Of course. He's done by the river training." Standing up, she added, "I'll get him right away." The former Fire Nation Princess ran towards the edge of the clearing, running to where the river was. Aang turned his attention back to Toph, who had already erected the large earthen tent and was standing by the entrance. Aang made his way inside and found that Toph had a special bed for Katara, a raised table of soft earth that would support her during the birthing process. Aang smiled to himself; his Sifu Toph really did think of everything.

"Here you go," said Aang cheerily as he lightly set Katara down on the bed, propping her back against the raised section of the bed. Katara put a hand on her stomach, panting as she tried to breathe. Aang took her right hand in both of his hands and said, "That's it, Katara. Just try to relax." Katara looked at him and smiled at him, although the pain she felt was still present on her beautiful face. The light that shone down from the opening about seven feet above them provided enough lighting for them to see, and the tent was surprisingly cool. Aang could feel the air circulating around them, expelling the hot air and drawing in cool air through the opening. Aang was surprised that Toph knew so much about how air currents flowed inside of earthen structures despite the fact that she was an Earthbender, but Sifu Toph always had a surprise up her sleeve.

Dreo appeared in the doorway, causing Aang and Katara to look at him. "Ursa said you needed to me, Aang?" he asked. Looking at Katara, he smiled and said, "Hey, Katara. Hope this all goes smoothly for you." Katara smiled and nodded appreciatively, gasping as another convulsion hit her. Aang looked at her with concern, but she smiled at him, assuring him that she was doing fine.

Aang smiled at his wife and then turned his attention to Dreo, saying, "Find Pakku down in the main camp. His wife, Kanna, who's also Katara's grandmother, should be there with him. She came along with her husband in case Katara gave birth before the battle. I need you to bring Kanna here as quickly as you can…carry her if you have to, and use your Airbending to run there and back. Now go!" Dreo nodded and instantly took off, running in a fast blur as he sped away from the campsite. Aang thought of something and called out, "Ursa, are you there?" The noble woman appeared in the entryway, and Aang asked, "Could you get a water flask and fill it up in the river? Katara's going to need something to drink. And there are also some pillows in Appa's saddle, we'll need those too." Ursa nodded and left to run her errands, leaving Aang and Katara alone in the tent. Looking back at Katara he smiled and said, "Don't you worry, Katara. I'll take of everything for you. Just relax, okay?"

Katara hissed as her body was racked with pain again and angrily shouted, "How can I relax when it feels like my insides are being torn apart? Do you want to trade places, because I'd be more than happy to!" Aang's heart was pained for a moment, but he knew that this wasn't his Katara that was shouting. It was the scared and pained side of her, the side that made it seem like she was angry with him. As the pain subsided briefly, Katara's face softened and she said, "I'm sorry, Aang. I didn't mean to shout." Tears appeared in her eyes as she said, "It hurts so much…and I'm taking my anger out on you."

"It's all right, Katara," replied Aang sincerely. He kissed her hand and said, "I will stay by you, even if it means being shouted at by the pained and angry side of you. Nothing can tear me away from you at this moment…you are my entire world right now, and so is our son who will be born today." He smiled and said, "Now come on, _Mom_, let me see you smile. Show me that my beloved Katara can still smile despite how much pain she's in." He chuckled as Katara blushed and smiled, tears running down her face as she gazed at her loving husband.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," she retorted teasingly. "I'm not a mother yet." She paused as a look of fear came across her face, and Aang became concerned. "What if…what if I d-die in childbirth?" she asked fearfully, her tears redoubling as they poured down her cheeks. She looked at him with such fear that it made his heart ache at the sight of her. "I don't want to die!" she exclaimed. "I want to see my baby…my son…I can't die…" She began sobbing, her head leaning against the back of the bed as she cried. Aang could feel tears welling up in his eyes, and he knew that he had to comfort her.

"Katara," he said with firm affection, causing her to look at him. "You are strong enough to survive. You will not die today, my love. You will make it through this, and you will live to see our son born." He kissed her hand again, and her sobs slowly died down as he gazed lovingly into her eyes. Her eyes silently thanked him, love pouring out of her soul and into Aang's eyes. She winced and cried out as the baby kicked her hard, whimpering at the pain. Aang kissed her hand once more and said, "I'm here, Katara. Your pain is my pain. We're in this together." Katara smiled at him, resuming her panting as she tried to maintain control. Aang knew that she was in for a long ordeal, but he was willing to spend as much time with her as she needed.

* * *

><p>Gregor and Meigui were walking arm-in-arm on the outskirts of the main encampment, simply enjoying their free time together. The others were busy with their own schedules, and the two of them had nothing else to do at the moment. The camp was a bustle of thousands of soldiers and benders going about their business, readying their weapons and equipment in case of a sudden attack. The sound of hammers and gruff conversation filled the air, the usual sounds that accompanied an army. Everyone was used to the noise after a couple of days, but tension was thick in the air. Sokka and Suki had gone to speak to Hakoda, Arnook, and the rest of the Water Tribe troops. Gregor and Meigui wanted to spend as much time as they could together before the battle, savoring every little moment like a precious treasure.<p>

"So what are you going to do after the big battle?" asked Meigui, looking up at her Firebending boyfriend with a smile. She thought about how much Gregor had changed since they had first met. He was stiff and a bit overly formal at first, but their journey together had changed him in ways that not even she would have imagined. He had become more relaxed and outgoing, showing everyone the real Gregor.

Gregor thought for a moment, a contemplative look on his face. "Well…" he said thoughtfully, "I was thinking of traveling the world with this one woman that I know. She's incredible…she's funny, smart, loving, happy, beautiful-" Before he could say anything else, he was cut off by Meigui.

"Oh, so there's another woman?" she asked teasingly, unable to keep a straight face as she continued to smile at him.

"No," Gregor chuckled, "there's no other woman." He paused and said, "This woman I know is unlike any I've met before. She's a great Earthbender, although not quite as good as Toph Bei Fong." Gregor chuckled as Meigui rolled her eyes, both of them knowing full well that no one could beat Toph at Earthbending. "Her eyes are as pure as jade, sparkling in the sun light like a rare jewel. Her hair is as red as a Fire-lily, unmatched in its rosy luster. She is as beautiful as the flower that she is named for." Meigui blushed as Gregor described her physical attributes, remembering how he had done much the same back in Ba Sing Se when they had first met.

"But what about your honor?" she asked. "Would your honor allow you to do such a thing when you know full well what your duty to your nation is?" The two of them stopped walking and wrapped their arms around each other, his around her waist while hers were around his shoulders. Gregor stared at her with bright golden eyes, affection pouring out of them. The two of them smiled at each other, feeling very much connected despite the brief time since the beginning of their relationship just the other day.

After a long moment of silence, Gregor said, "I've learned something about honor these past few weeks. For years, I proclaimed how important honor was to almost every person I've met. During our journey, I realized something…honor is something you hold inside. It is the moral standards that you live by that makes a person honorable. You hold your own sense of honor and pride in your heart, and as long as you live by your own morals, you will live a fulfilling life." Leaning closer to her, he added, "Honor used to be my life…but now, my life is full of good friends who care about me. Family is now my life, and Team Avatar has become like a second family to me…especially you." They leaned closer to one another, closing their eyes as the prepared to kiss.

Suddenly, a furious wind whipped past them, seeming to say "Hi Gregor! Hi Meigui!" as it sped by. The couple braced themselves and, when the wind passed, looked to see a dust cloud speeding along the edge of the camp before it turned into the camp. Gregor and Meigui stood there in stunned confusion, unsure of what just happened.

"Was that Dreo?" asked a voice from behind them. Gregor and Meigui turned to see Sokka and Suki walking towards them, the same confused look on their faces. Suki's betrothal necklace shone bright in the morning sun, giving her skin a healthy glow. Meigui eyed the necklace and smiled to herself, thinking of how happy Suki must be about getting married to Sokka. Her mind suddenly ran into the possibility of her marrying Gregor, but she shoved that thought to the back of her mind…at least for now.

"I think it was," said Gregor. "I wonder where he's off to in such a hurry." The others nodded in agreement with him, thinking the same thing. Looking back at Meigui, he asked, "Now were where we?" Meigui chuckled as the two leaned in for another kiss…only to be interrupted by Dreo rushing past them again and knocking them over with the force of his Airbending. Gregor fell onto his back with Meigui on top of him, and their lips unexpectedly collided with one another. The two looked at one another as they laid there, intense blushes coating their cheeks like fire flakes. Sokka stood there laughing at them while Suki just chuckled and smiled, only causing the couple's blush to deepen as their lips parted.

"Well…" said Meigui distantly, "this is kind of…awkward." Gregor nodded in agreement with her, and the two of them stood up. Sokka had finally settled down from his laughter while Gregor and Meigui stood a little ways apart from each other, still embarrassed by the position they had been in.

Suki looked to where Dreo had run off to and said, "He's running back to the forest, and I think I saw him carrying your Gran Gran, Sokka." Looking back at the others, she asked, "Now why would Dreo need to speed Kanna back to our campsite?" They thought for a long while, and the realization slowly hit them.

"Gran Gran came with Pakku for one reason," said Sokka, "and that reason is Katara." His excitement began to grow as he figured out what was going on, a smile appearing on his face. "Gran Gran came in case Katara gave birth before the battle! That means Katara's in labor right now!" The others looked at him in disbelief, and then excited smiles came over their faces. "I'm going to be an uncle!" he exclaimed breathlessly, still shocked by the suddenness of the situation.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Suki, an energetic smile on her face. "Let's go!" Before the four of them could move, they suddenly heard shouting from all around them as soldiers began scrambling, grabbing their weapons. "What's going on?" asked Suki. Gregor looked behind him, and his face suddenly paled. Suki noticed this and asked, "What's wrong, Gregor?" The High-General merely pointed to the horizon, and the others followed his finger…what they saw made their blood freeze.

There, on the horizon, was a black wave thundering towards them with slow, methodical footsteps. As the darkness approached, the ground shook with thundering booms of many feet walking as one. For as far as the eye could see, the blackness stretched for miles, unending in its massive size. This was the grand army of the Dark Legion, and at the head of this army were Kongju, Azula, Jiliu, Long Feng, and Taifeng. But what truly brought fear to the four heroes was the man leading them…the Emperor himself. Ryu was dressed in his nightmarish armor again, a crown of evil upon his dark head. Time seemed to freeze at that moment as the four heroes stared at Ryu, feeling cold as the Dark Legion approached the main encampment of the Fellowship of Nations.

Gregor was the first to snap out of his trance, and he turned to Sokka and Suki. He spoke only two words: "Find Aang." Sokka and Suki nodded and ran off in the direction of forest, sprinting as fast as they could. Gregor turned to the troops and shouted, "Summon the leaders of the nations! Prepare yourselves for battle, but do not attack unless we are attacked first!" He looked down at Meigui, who stared at him with fear in her eyes. He took her hand and said firmly, "Stay close to me, Meigui. This may be the final battle." She nodded, squeezing his hand out of the terror she felt. The two of them looked back over the horizon and watched as the army of the Dark Legion draw ever closer.

* * *

><p>After almost five minutes in a dead sprint, Sokka and Suki finally made it back to the campsite. Sokka noticed Toph and Dreo gathered around a large tent in the rear of the camp, and he knew instantly that was where Aang must be. Running up to the tent, they saw Kanna and Ursa inside taking care of Katara, who was breathing hard while her grandmother was at the foot of her bed. Katara's leg were spread apart in preparation of the baby's arrival, while Aang was over on Katara's right side comforting her. Standing breathlessly at the entrance of the tent, Sokka frantically said, "Aang! You have to come with us <em>right now<em>!"

Aang looked up at him and said, "I can't. Katara needs me here, and I promised her that I would not leave her during this time." Katara screamed as a contraction hit her body, her hand squeezing tightly on Aang's hands. Looking over at his sister, he saw that she was in a lot of pain. Her entire face was sweaty, and her cheeks were wet from tears. Ursa dabbed her forehead with a towel, a caring look on her gentle face. Kanna said soothing words of comfort to Katara, causing the young Waterbender to slowly calm down.

"Aang, I know you're busy right now," said Sokka hastily before screaming, "but the Dark Legion is _coming_!" Aang snapped his head towards Sokka, a look of surprise on his face. "This may be the final battle, Aang," said Sokka firmly. "We need you _now_." A look of helplessness came over Aang's face, his filling up with pain at the thought of leaving Katara.

"Go, Aang…" whispered Katara, causing her husband to look at her. She smiled at him and said, "I'll be fine, and the baby won't come for at least a few more hours. You'll make it back in tim- argh!" She clenched up as another convulsion hit her, the pain ripping through her like a tidal wave. The pain subsided and she looked back at Aang, saying, "Go…I'll be waiting." Weakly lifting his hands to her face, she gently kissed his hands. Aang stayed where he was for a few painful moments, then he begrudgingly let go of her hand. Katara let her hand fall to her stomach, still smiling at the man she loved most in the world.

Aang took one last look at his wife, savoring what might be his final image of her, and turned to Sokka. He took in a deep breath and firmly said, "Let's fly." Taking off in a quick (but controlled) burst of speed, he shot towards Sokka and scooped the young Chief up in his arms. Aang jumped into the air, soaring high above the forest as he carried Sokka. He looked towards the main camp and saw something that made his heart stop: a vast ocean of black that stretched on for miles, stopped in front of the camp. "The Dark Legion army is bigger than we thought," said Aang, causing Sokka to nod in agreement with him. Bending the air around his feet, Aang flew towards the camp as fast as he could. Soon they saw where the leaders of the nations had gathered (although Mai and Sun Tzu were not with them, for Zuko had sent them back to Team Avatar's campsite), along with Gregor, Meigui, the Order of the White Lotus, and dozens of soldiers ready for battle. Aang landed in their midst, setting Sokka down on his feet. When Aang turned back to face the Dark Legion, it felt as if he had stepped into a nightmare.

Standing just twenty-five feet from the edge of the camp were Ryu and his commanding officers, along with a man in Fire Nation armor kneeling on the ground with a blindfold over his eyes and a rope tying his arms behind his back. Ryu looked at Aang and chuckled maliciously, his purple eyes glinting with dark intent. "Greetings, Fellowship of Nations!" he called out mockingly, eliciting laughter from his soldiers. "May I say that I am _humbled_ to be in your overwhelming presence," he added with a slight bow, further mocking his enemy.

"Why are you here, Emperor Ryu?" asked Aang with deadly seriousness in his voice, his eyes focused on the dark man as he came out of his bow. Aang knew that the fate of the world could be decided on this day, and he was ready to do whatever it takes to win against Ryu. Not even the mad Emperor could keep him from his wife and soon-to-be-born son.

Ryu smiled evilly and said, "I only wish to speak to you and your army, Avatar. I am not here to fight…at least not today." He paused and added, "Your doom will come soon enough."

"Oh really?" angrily asked General Shinu. Pointing to Ryu's army, he asked, "Then why have your brought your soldiers to our very doorstep?" Ryu cackled manically, causing the General to cringe in fear.

"Is it not obvious?" asked Ryu with a dark chuckle. Gesturing to his army, he said, "It's called a show of force, one of the oldest tricks in the book of military strategies. If any of you try to slay me now, my soldiers will attack and slaughter you all on the spot." He paused and said, "We captured your little scouting party when they came snooping around our home." Shaking his head disappointedly, he added, "Not quite the elite scouts I expected, however. Our Airbenders easily found them during their aerial patrol of Mount Yami."

"What have you done with them?" angrily demanded Zuko. "Return them to us immediately!"

Ryu looked darkly at the Fire Lord and said, "As you wish…Captain Kongju, return the prisoners to the Fellowship of Nations." Kongju smiled evilly and nodded, picking up a bag that was sitting next to him. He spun around and threw the bag with a grunt, tossing it towards the leaders of the nations. The bag landed five feet away from them and spilled the contents before them, horrified looks appearing on their faces as four severed heads rolled out of the bag. Several soldiers threw up on the spot, while others had sickened looks on their faces. The leaders cringed at the heads, and Aang could feel his blood freeze. The heads belonged to those of the scouts of Commander Jee's team.

Aang tore his eyes away from the disgusting sight and looked back up at Ryu, seeing the blindfolded and bounded man kneeling next to the Emperor. "Who's that prisoner?" he asked weakly, still recovering from seeing the severed heads. Ryu glanced down at the prisoner, then looked up at Taifeng and nodded. The evil Airbender walked over to the prisoner and tore off the blindfold, and everyone in the encampment gasped. The prisoner was Commander Jee, torn and bloody from the torture the Dark Legion had inflicted upon him. Commander Jee tried to say something, but his words were incoherent. "What did you do to him? Why can't he talk?" demanded Aang.

Ryu chuckled malevolently and replied, "It would be hard for one to speak if their tongue has been cut out, don't you agree?" He laughed manically as Aang's jaw dropped in horror, shock on his face.

"You monster!" shouted Gregor, his fists clenched in anger as he glared at the Emperor. Ryu slowly came out of his evil laughter, darkness on his face.

Ryu looked back at the Fellowship of Nations and said in a loud voice, "Now hear me, soldiers who fight by the Avatar's side…there is no hope of victory for you. If you fight, you will die. I will now demonstrate what will happen to those who oppose us." He signaled to Long Feng and Jiliu, and the two men pulled Jee to his feet and made him face the Emperor. Aang could see the fear in Jee's eyes, and he feared what the Emperor was about to do. Ryu drew in a breath and shouted, thrusting a clawed hand towards Jee until it pierced his chest with a sickening _CRUNCH_. Ryu's hand penetrated Jee's chest and grabbed his heart, causing the Commander to stare wide eyed at the Emperor, making strangled noises from his throat as blood poured out of his mouth. Aang and the others could only look on in horror as Ryu ripped out Jee's heart, leaving the dead Commander to drop to the ground as Long Feng and Jiliu let him go. Ryu turned to the Fellowship of Nations, his hand bloody from the heart still beating in his evil clutches. More soldiers puked on the spot, while others just fainted from sheer terror.

But the horror show was not over yet, for Ryu had darker ideas in mind. Eyeing the heart as if it were a treat, Ryu licked his lips and brought the heart closer to his mouth. Aang's stomach knotted as he watched Ryu _bite_ into the heart, tearing off some of the organ and chewing it in his mouth. Meigui buried her face in Gregor's chest, doing anything to keep from watching what was happening. Everyone felt sick to their stomachs as they watched Ryu swallow his gruesome meal, his lips bloody with the juice of the forbidden fruit he had consumed. Aang shouted, "Stop it! You are sick and twisted, Ryu!"

Ryu chuckled and said, "I'm rather proud of it, actually. Farewell, Avatar! May we all meet again on the field of battle tomorrow, and let the fate of the world be decided!" He lit the heart on fire, consuming the organ in a dark fireball. Within seconds, it burnt away to nothing, and the Emperor turned and began walking back to his army, his officers close on his heels. "Dark Legion, march!" shouted Ryu to his men, and the massive army turned about-face. Soon the sound of thundering footsteps filled the air once more, the dark wave of enemy troops growing smaller and smaller until they disappeared over the horizon. As soon as they disappeared, the entire camp loosened up just a little bit, still wary of a surprise attack.

"Someone should collect the remains," said Aang distantly, still recovering from the horrid sight of Ryu eating Jee's heart. "Give them a proper burial…" he weakly added. They all nodded, and Gregor signaled for some help. Three men came forward from the crowd of soldiers, one collecting the heads in the bag while the other two carried Jee's body off to a burial ground. As they carried the remains off, the soldiers who had gathered began shuffling off, murmuring amongst themselves about what had just happened. _I have to get back to Katara_, Aang thought to himself, and he started running back towards the forest.

Before he ran six feet, General Shinu shouted, "Avatar! Where are you going?" Aang stopped and turned to face the General, slight confusion on his face. Shinu angrily pointed at Aang and said, "You have to deal with our troops! There's bound to be threats of desertion and mutiny after what just happened here, and also-" Before he could say anymore, Aang cut him off.

"That's your problem, General Shinu," firmly replied Aang, his eyes dead-set on the middle-aged man. Pointing to the small forest, he said, "My wife, Katara, is in labor right now, ready to give birth to our first-born son." Dropping his arm by his side, he added, "I will not miss the birth of my own son, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." He turned back and began to leave, a look of anger on Shinu's face.

"I don't care if she's dying of a terminal illness!" exclaimed Shinu vehemently, anger and rage filling his booming voice. As he said this, Aang stopped dead in his tracks. "You have to do your duty as the Avatar, and not even your wife can prevent you from doing that. Do you realize how important it is that we win against the Dark Legion?" He scoffed and venomously added, "Your wife would be better off dead if it meant assuring our victory." Aang clenched his fists in anger, shaking with livid rage at Shinu's words. Everyone looked back and forth between Aang and Shinu, slowly backing away from the General. Shinu narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the Avatar's back and said with a sneer, "Your wife is nothing but a petty distraction, and I will not have-" He was cut off as Aang's tattoos suddenly started glowing white, and in the blink of an eye, Shinu was lifted off his feet and into the air. The General looked down to see an enraged Aang holding him up by his collar, rage flowing in his pure white eyes.

"LISTEN TO MY WORDS CAREFULLY, SHINU," hissed Aang in a chorus of ancient voices, causing Shinu's eyes to widen in fear. "I WILL _NOT_ STAND FOR INSULTS AGAINST MY WIFE, ESPECIALLY FROM A COWARD SUCH AS YOURSELF." Pulling Shinu closer until they were at eye level, he added, "IF YOU TRY TO STOP ME, I WILL MAKE SURE YOU REGRET IT WITH EVERY FIBER OF YOUR PATHETIC BEING. AM I UNDERSTOOD?" Shinu hesitated, fear clutching at his heart. Aang shook him and shouted, "AM I UNDERSTOOD?" Before Shinu could answer, he felt a firm hand on his right shoulder. Aang snapped his head to see that the hand belonged to Sokka, who was looking at him with a serious expression on his face. Aang saw his friend's face, and then directed his attention back to Shinu. Aang felt himself calm as he looked at the frightened General, realizing that he had lost control of his emotions. The Avatar Spirit calmed and settled as his eyes and tattoos returned to their normal state, and he slowly put the General down.

"Aang," said Sokka, causing the Avatar to look at him. Aang thought the young Chief was going to rebuke him, but he smiled and simply said, "Go to her. She's waiting for you to comfort her during this time, and she needs you now more than ever." Patting his friend on the shoulder, he added, "Get there as fast as you can. We'll be right behind you." Aang nodded and smiled gratefully, turning back towards the forest and taking off in a burst of Airbending. Sokka turned back to Shinu and said, "You would do well not to get between Aang and Katara. If you do…let's just say it wouldn't end well." Turning to the Dragon of the West, he asked, "Iroh, would you be willing to make sure that the troops don't desert us by talking to them all?"

"Of course, Chief Sokka," said Iroh with a small bow. "I've seen my fair share of mutinies over the course of my military career, and I can assure you that none of them will want to leave after I'm done talking with them." He chuckled and added, "But I would like to see Aang and Katara's child when he is born. I do adore newborn babies, for I find them to be so cute and precious." His friends, both young and old, chuckled at Iroh's fondness of infants. Turning to Sokka, Zuko, Gregor, and Meigui, he said, "Go on, you youngsters. Let us old folks handle the troops." The young heroes smiled and nodded gratefully to the Grand Lotus, the four of them turning and running to the forest as fast as they could. Iroh, the Order of the White Lotus, and the remaining leaders of the nations then headed back into the camp to deal with the morale of the troops.

* * *

><p>Aang ran as fast as the wind could carry him, fearing that he was too late and his son had already been born. As he screeched to a halt at the entrance of the birthing tent, he saw Katara in the same position he had left her, and he let out a sigh of relief. He made his way back into the tent and took his place by Katara's side, kneeling down on the right side of the bed and taking her hand in his. She looked over at him, a tired smile on her sweat-drenched face. "I'm guessing the Dark Legion didn't attack?" she asked weakly, but Aang could tell that she was relieved that he was there. Aang nodded his head and Katara said, "At least we're safe for one more day…just a false alarm on our part." Aang smiled at her, glad that she didn't press the matter any further.<p>

"Yeah," he said in agreement, "and now I will not leave your side again." He kissed her hands and said lovingly, "I promise." Katara smiled sweetly at him, but was cut short as another contraction hit her body. Her eyes scrunched shut as she screamed in pain, tears forming in her eyes. Some of her hair fell on her face, and Aang pushed it out of the way. He smiled at her, letting her know that he was there to stay. Katara slowly stopped screaming, panting heavily from the pain that circulated endlessly through her body. The next few hours stretched on endlessly, the air filled with Katara's cries of pain and screams of agony as she kept trying to push and contractions racked her body. Aang was by her side the entire time, speaking words of love and affection to her, telling her that she was doing a great job. The others waited patiently outside the tent, respecting the privacy of the soon-to-be-parents. Kanna and Ursa continued their midwife duties, preparing for the arrival of the baby.

Finally, Kanna positioned herself at the end of the bed and said, "All right, Katara, this is it. I need you to gather all your strength and push just one last time. I can see the baby crowning now, and it seems like he'll come out just fine." Katara took in a deep breath and pushed for all she was worth, her vision exploding into a million pieces of agonizing pain as she screamed mercilessly. She heard Aang's muffled voice off to her right, but all she could feel at the moment was the baby she was working so hard to push out. Her insides were being stretched much further than earlier in the day, and now she was paying the price. Suddenly, the weight in her abdomen disappeared, and she collapsed on the bed, spent by her ordeal of giving birth. As her vision came back into focus, she could hear a new sound fill the air…the squealing cry of a baby. Kanna chuckled and said, "You did it, Katara."

As Ursa and Kanna cleaned up the baby, Aang looked at her lovingly and proudly said, "You were great, Katara." His wife looked at him and smiled weakly, still breathing heavily as she tried to recover. A pang of guilt ran through Aang as he said, "I'm sorry I had to put you through this, Katara. I know how painful it must have been for you, and if you don't want any more children, I understand." Katara was touched by Aang's words, and a tear fell down her cheek as she smiled.

"Aang…" she said sweetly, "…I will bear however children you wish me to have. The pain is nothing…because I have your love to comfort me." She paused and said, "I love you, Aang, and I want to have many children with you." She felt more tears fall down her face, love in each and every drop. Her love for him at that moment was overwhelming, and she felt all the pain fade away completely.

Aang looked over to her left, and Katara followed his gaze to see Kanna walking up to them with a white bundle in her arms. Taking her hand from Aang, Katara reached out and gently took the small bundle from her grandmother. As she brought the quiet bundle closer to her chest, Katara gazed upon her son for the first time. He was a tiny little thing, with brown hair just like her, although slightly darker. His skin was a light tan, as if her skin tone mixed with Aang's. The infant was lightly sleeping, and he slowly opened his tiny eyes. Katara gasped happily as she gazed into two small gray eyes, looking up at her with pure innocence. The baby cooed softly, and Katara felt her heart just burst wide open with love. As she looked her son, she wanted to hold him in her arms forever, loving and raising him as her own…to be the mother of her child. Katara knew in that moment what all first-time mothers felt when they gaze open their first-born children; the unconditional, motherly love that completely enveloped their hearts.

"My son…" she whispered happily, her eyes flooding with tears of joy. She bent her head down and kissed her son gently on his tiny forehead, causing the infant to coo again. Katara leaned back, still gazing at her son with a loving smile on her face. Looking over at Aang, she could see him looking at their son in much the same way as her.

"He's handsome," said Aang quietly, reaching out with his hand and gently running his fingers through the baby's hair. The infant reached out with tiny hands and grabbed his finger, pulling it down as he cooed again. Aang couldn't help but smile at his son, and in that moment he knew how all fathers felt when their first child was born; proud that they had brought such an innocent being into the world, knowing that they would raise their children as their own, teaching them all about life and its many wonders. He loved his son from the moment he laid eyes on him, and he knew that he was going to be the best father that he could be.

Katara looked down at the baby as he let go of Aang's finger, crying slightly as the new sensation went away. "Shh, my baby…" she whispered, rocking the newborn in her arms. Soon the baby settled, looking back up at Katara with curious eyes. She turned to Aang and asked, "What are we going to name him?" Aang looked at his son as he pondered numerous possibilities, going through what seemed liked dozens before he was sure he picked the right one.

He looked up at Katara and said, "How about…Tenzin? It's a proud Air Nomad name, famous for the most pious of our monks." He stared into her eyes, hoping that she would like the name. Katara smiled lovingly at him, her eyes filled with nothing but happiness and affection. She looked back down at her son, who had started playing with her hair.

"Tenzin…" she said thoughtfully, as if testing the weight of the name. She chuckled and said, "It's a perfect name…for a perfect baby." Aang smiled at her, and he knew in his heart that all these past months of worry and pain were well worth it. Katara handed the bundle to Aang, who gently took it out of her hands. "Why don't you take Tenzin out to the others?" she said. "I'm sure they're all dying to meet him…I just need…some rest…" As Katara was talking, her weariness and exhaustion finally caught up with her, and she drifted off into a light sleep. Aang smiled at her, knowing that she deserved the rest.

"Come on, Tenzin," he said playfully to the infant in his arms. "Let's let Mommy take a nap while we say hello to the rest of the family." He looked over at Ursa and Kanna, who had approving smiles on their faces. Aang smiled back at them, then turned his attention to the doorway. As he walked towards it, he quietly called out, "Hey guys, I have a surprise for you." He saw his friends outside silently gather around the doorway just as Aang came to it. "Everyone," he said happily, "meet the newest member of our little family…my son, Tenzin." He showed them Tenzin's face, and they all just melted into warm smiles and sporadic bouts of "Aww, he's so cute!"

"Aang, he's beautiful!" said Suki cheerfully, a happy smile on her bright face. Mai, who was over by Zuko, just smiled at the newborn and said nothing. Sun Tzu stood up on his tip toes to try and get a better view of Tenzin, his amber eyes fixed on the baby.

"He looks squishy," comically added Sokka, eliciting a small laugh from the group. He leaned in very close to Tenzin and said, "Hey, little guy. I'm your Uncle Sokka, and I- ack!" He cried out as Tenzin reached out and grabbed his goatee, pulling the young Chief's facial hair in his tiny hands. Everyone burst out laughing at Sokka, who finally managed to gently pry Tenzin's grip. He rubbed his sore chin and chuckled, not at all mad at the infant. "I like my nephew already," he cheerily said. "He's cheeky, just like his father." Looking at Aang, he proudly said, "Congratulations, Aang. You and Katara deserve such a wonderful baby."

"I know how you feel right now," commented Zuko. "When Sun Tzu was born, Mai and I spent as much time as we could with him. I wanted nothing more than to be with my son." Looking down at Sun Tzu, he ruffled the Prince's black hair and smiled. Mai wrapped her arms around his free arm and pulled herself closer to him, smiling lovingly at the Fire Lord.

"You do all realize that I can't see Tenzin, right?" chimed in Toph, and slight embarrassment came over Aang's face. The Avatar gently handed his son to the blind Earthbender, who took the bundle carefully. She felt the baby's weight and, taking one hand, smoothly ran her fingers across Tenzin's face. The baby tried to grab her fingers, but soon she had memorized his facial features and handed him back to Aang. Toph smiled and said, "He certainly is handsome. You and Sugar Queen should make babies more often." Everyone laughed as Aang blushed, but the Avatar knew that there would be more children in the future.

Soon Tenzin yawned his first yawn and closed his tiny eyes, falling sound asleep in Aang's arms. Everyone chuckled and Gregor said, "Come on, everyone. Let's have the parents enjoy their time with their son." Looking at Aang, he said, "We're all proud of you, and you'll make a great father indeed."

Toph chuckled and said, "This is Twinkle Toes we're talking about. He's great with kids…heck, he's still a kid himself." They all chuckled again, but they all knew what she had said was correct. "Go on, Twinkle Toes. I'm sure Katara's waiting for you to bring Tenzin back." Turning to everyone else, she said, "All right, everyone. Back to your normal business. Aang's officially taking a break for the rest of the day to be with Katara and Tenzin." Soon the group dispersed and Aang walked back into the tent just as Kanna and Ursa were walking out.

Aang chuckled when he saw that Katara was still asleep, her body rising and falling peacefully with her calm breathing. He made his over to bed and whispered, "Hey, Katara." The Waterbender opened her eyes slightly and looked over at Aang, smiling when her eyes fell upon him. "I think someone wants to nap with you," he said quietly, handing Tenzin over to his wife with a smile. Katara brought Tenzin close to her chest so that his tiny head was against her shoulder, and she leaned her head gently against her son's.

"Thank you, Aang" she said gratefully. Aang nodded and Katara closed her eyes, smiling as she napped alongside her baby son. As mother and child slept peacefully, Aang's smile slowly melted into a slight frown as he felt guilt rip through him like dragon claws. He knew that this happiness was only temporary, for tomorrow he would face Emperor Ryu in a final showdown to determine the fate of the entire world…and he knew he would have to send her and their son away to keep them safe.

* * *

><p>The five commanding officers of the Dark Legion stood before the Emperor's dark throne, their full battle armor adorned as the kneeled on one knee before their leader. Kongju looked up at the Emperor and said, "My Lord, it is almost time."<p>

Ryu drew in a deep breath and coldly said, "Yes, my most loyal Captain. I can feel the power of the Dark Draconus returning to me, the dark power welling up inside of me." He paused as he smiled evilly and said, "Soon, the Avatar will fall, and the world will be mine!" Looking down at his commanding officers, he said in a commanding voice, "Prepare the troops. We march at dawn." The five officers nodded and bowed slightly before getting up and leaving the throne room. "Soon, I will be the supreme ruler of everything!" exclaimed Ryu, causing black flames to grow around his throne. "Soon, my darkness shall cover the entire world! SOON, THE AVATAR WILL DIE!" He laughed manically, his dark power over the forbidden flames causing them to dance around his throne like demented spirits. Ryu slowly stopped laughing and smiled coldly as he thought of his Dark Legion's victory in the upcoming battle…the Battle of Mount Yami.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Bloodbath

This is it...the first part of my finale. I hope you're all ready for the epicness to come. Now strap yourselves in and brace yourselves...it's going to be a wild ride. Enjoy, read, and review!

NOTE: A special thanks goes out to a big fan and supporter of mine, ABFG. She helped me to come up with an idea for another story, and for that I thank her. :)

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Eighteen: Bloodbath**

"No, Aang! I'm not leaving, and that's final!" shouted an angry Katara, holding baby Tenzin in her arms. The infant began crying, and Katara's eyes softened as she looked at her son. She rocked Tenzin back and forth, shooting occasional death glances at Aang, daring him to say something. Aang sighed heavily; he knew that convincing Katara to leave with Hakoda, Mai, Sun Tzu, and Ursa wasn't going to be difficult, but his wife was making it near impossible. They stood in the middle of the camp, just behind where Appa was standing now. Mai and Sun Tzu were sleeping quietly in the saddle (along with Momo, who was also asleep), for Zuko had said his goodbyes to them already and went with the others to join the troops on the frontline. Aang, Katara, Tenzin, Hakoda, Mai, Sun Tzu, and Ursa were the only ones left in the campsite, which was barren now that Toph had torn down all the earthen tents. Hakoda was up by Appa's head, getting the Sky Bison ready for take-off. Soon the baby settled down, leading Katara to look over at Appa and call out, "Ursa? Could you please take Tenzin for a minute?" Glancing back with icy eyes at Aang, she coldly added, "I need to talk with my husband." Ursa came over and gently took Tenzin out of Katara's hands, taking the infant up on Appa's saddle.

Katara crossed her arms and looked angrily at Aang, a scowl on her face as she stared him down. Aang drew in a breath and said, "Katara, please try to understand-"

"No, Aang, _you_ try to understand," venomously interjected Katara, anger raging in her blue eyes. "For nine months, I've done everything you've told me to do. I let you take care of me during my pregnancy." Gesturing to her body, she added, "Well, guess what? I'm not pregnant anymore!" She shouted this last, letting her anger out at her husband. "Do you know how useless I felt when I couldn't help you these past few weeks?" she asked irately. "You've kept from fighting by your side when I _was_ pregnant, and now that I'm _not_ you're sending me away like a child!" She glared at him, her eyes sending daggers into his heart.

"I'm not happy about sending you away, Katara," replied Aang calmly, "but I have to. Besides, you're in no condition to fight. You gave birth just yesterday, and Tenzin needs someone to look after him."

Katara scoffed and crossly said, "Then let Ursa look after him. I'm not leaving you." Aang was shocked by Katara's reply, and his jaw dropped open slightly.

"Absolutely not!" exclaimed Aang. Looking at her with hard eyes, he firmly added, "You will _not_ abandon our newborn son, Katara. As his mother, it is _your_ responsibility to look after him. If anything happened to you or Tenzin…I couldn't live with myself." His eyes softened as he pleadingly said, "Please, Katara. I'm not doing this to spite you…I'm doing it because I love you and I don't want to see you get hurt." Katara still looked at him angrily, but Aang could see the tears forming in her eyes. She glanced away from him, then threw herself at him and embraced him. He returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Katara whispered in his ear, "Please come back to me, Aang. I won't be able to survive without you." The two leaned back from the embrace, and then pulled each other into a passionate kiss. They stood there for what seemed like a hundred years, their love isolating them from the world around them. They slowly pulled back from the kiss, staring deep into each other's eyes. Aang could see the pain in her tear-filled eyes, but he also saw understanding in them. She knew he had to do his duty as the Avatar, to save the world from the foreboding shadow of the Dark Legion. "Good-bye, Aang…I love you," she whispered, tears falling down her face. Aang reached up and wiped her tears away, smiling lovingly at the woman who was his world.

"Good-bye, Katara…I love you too," he softly replied, eliciting a small smile from the Waterbender. They shared one final lasting kiss, and then she slowly left his arms. They held hands as she left him until the contact between them was broken, their touch lingering on each other's fingers. Katara continued to stare at him until she came to Appa's tail. She climbed up onto the saddle and took Tenzin back from Ursa, holding the infant in her tan arms as she looked down at Aang from the saddle.

Hakoda walked up by Aang's side and followed his gaze until he saw Katara. Hakoda looked at Aang and said, "Don't worry, Aang." As Aang looked at him, he added, "I'll take care of Katara and Tenzin." Putting a firm hand on Aang's shoulder, he said, "You just worry about defeating Emperor Ryu, and I can assure you that Katara and Tenzin will come back safely to you." Aang smiled and nodded gratefully, and the two men warmly hugged each other. As they separated, Hakoda patted Aang on the back and made his way to the reins. Aang returned his gaze to Katara, who was still staring at him with a loving smile. He smiled back at her, hoping with all his heart that he would return to her. Hakoda settled in at the reins and cried out, "Yip yip!" Appa groaned and lifted into the air with a slap of his tail, soaring high above the trees and flying in the direction of Gufeng. Aang watched them go until they were out of sight, the memory of Katara's loving smile still fresh in his mind.

Aang closed his eyes and sighed, the reality of the situation hitting me…here he stood on the edge of another epic clash, ready to take on a great and powerful evil to save the world once more. _I'm ready to face my destiny_, he thought to himself as he opened his eyes, confidence burning deep in his soul. He shot up into the sky with on a burst of air, angling off towards Mount Yami. He flew as fast as the wind could carry him, flying miles in just moments. About five miles from the main camp, he spotted the army of the Fellowship of Nations stopped on the massive plain. He could see countless banners of the Fellowship of Nations flying above the troops, showing the unification of the world under one flag. He could see the Sky Bison fighters flying above, covered in the same type of armor Appa had worn on the Day of Black Sun. The army stretched on for miles, painting the land a rich tapestry of blue, green, and red. Along the front of the warriors were Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation tanks, along with Ostrich-horse riders.

Looking up front, Aang saw Sokka, Toph, Suki, Zuko, Gregor, Dreo, and Meigui at the head of the army, about fifty feet ahead. Toph and Meigui were dressed in Earth Kingdom battle armor, serious looks on their faces. Sokka was in his full Water Tribe armor, a wolf helmet over his head. Suki was in her full Kyoshi warrior garb, the signature white paint applied on her face. Zuko was in his full Fire Lord robes (although this version was shorter at the sleeves and legs to allow for better movement), the crown headpiece sitting in his top-knot. Gregor was dressed in his Fire Nation armor, a flame-pointed helmet on his head, while Dreo was dressed in his monk robes. Aang flew down and landed in front of them, causing them all to look at him. Aang stood facing them and said, "It's done. The others are on their way to Gufeng…they'll be safe there." The others nodded, and he looked at each in turn. "Fighting the Dark Legion is going to be the hardest thing we've done together," he said. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"We're ready, Aang," said Sokka firmly, hardness in his blue eyes. The others nodded in agreement with him and he said, "We will fight by your side until the very end." Aang nodded appreciatively, and looked behind him. He saw the Dark Legion army about half a mile away, poised like a rat-viper eying its prey. They also had banners, which was a black flag edged with purple. The black field was decorated with four characters that were shaded purple, and these characters were for the words 'Dark Legion'. Decorative dragons danced around the characters, their long bodies twisting on the edge of the calligraphic characters. Aang saw Ryu standing the front in his full armor, smiling evilly as the sunlight glinted in his purple eyes. He took his armor off and threw it over his shoulder, disintegrating it in a puff of black fire, leaving him bare chested. His skin began rippling and soon he transformed using the power of the Dark Draconus, assuming his humanoid-dragon form. The beast Ryu roared at his prey, the darkness in his bellow sweeping over the army of the Fellowship of Nations.

The soldiers around Team Avatar shuffled uneasily, backing away slightly. Gregor turned to them and boldly shouted, "Courage, men! Take heart and do not be afraid!" He turned back to Aang and said, "I think you should give a speech to the troops, something to inspire them before you lead them into battle." Aang nodded and walked towards the troops while his friends parted around him to let him through.

He stopped about thirty feet from the soldiers and said in a loud voice, "You all know who I am…I am Avatar Aang. Ten years ago I stood on the precipice of a great battle with Fire Lord Ozai in Wu Long Forest. I knew then I had to defeat him to end the Hundred Years' War and restore peace to the world." Pointing at the Dark Legion's army, he shouted, "Now our newest foe, the Dark Legion, seeks to tear apart the peace that we have worked so hard to achieve!" Gesturing to the troops before him, he shouted, "Are you all going to stand by and let that happen?" The army of the Fellowship of Nations all shouted "No!" in unison, and Aang said, "Today is a glorious day, for today…four nations have come together as one to quell the shadow of the Dark Legion. All are gathered here: Air Nomads, Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation, ready to fight and die for what we believe in!" Looking at the troops, he asked, "What do you believe in? Do you believe in freedom…in love…in peace…in _hope_?"

"What do you fight for?" he asked in a loud voice. "Do you fight for country…for friends…for family…for _home_?" With each thing he said, the troops cheered. "We will not let this darkness consume the world!" exclaimed Aang, letting his power build in his voice. "We will break through this shadow of evil like the morning sun washes away the night! Let the enemy taste the steel of our swords, the volley of our arrows, the might of our wind, the rushing of our water, the strength of our earth, and the power of our fire!" As he said each element, the warriors and benders cheered louder and louder. Raising his hands in the air, he shouted, "Never forget the bonds of fellowship that we forge on this day! Never forget those who will fall by our side as we fight for our freedom! Today, you are heroes of the world…for generations to come, you shall be legends!" The soldiers raised their fists into the air, cheering as they prepared themselves for battle. Aang could hear his friends cheering behind him, filling his spirit with energy and life.

Dropping his arms by his side, he shouted, "Warriors! Draw your weapons!" There was a great scraping sound as thousands of soldiers drew their weapons, holding the steel devices of death high in the air as they cheered. Sokka drew his sword while Suki brandished her fans, cheering loudly as they held their weapons in the air. "Benders! Ready yourselves!" There was a great shout as all the benders let the chi flow through their bodies, ready to bend their respective elements. "Tanks and Calvary! Prepare to advance!" Thousands of tanks spurted to life while numerous Ostrich-horses neighed and clucked, moving back and forth in anticipation. "Archers! Ready your bows!" The archers in the back cheered as they notched their arrows, ready to rain death upon the enemy. "Sky Bison! Fly as fast as the wind!" The Sky Bison armada bellowed in unison, the benders on their backs cheering. Looking back at the troops, he drew in a deep breath and raised a fist as he shouted the final phrase: "Fellowship of Nations! CHARGE!"

In that moment, history was made.

The war cry of thousands of soldiers was deafening to Aang's ears as he turned and ran between his friends, who followed closely behind him as they charged with him. He heard the thundering of the soldier's pounding feet behind me, a mighty wave of sound that was accompanied by the roar of thousands of frenzied warriors. The tanks sped forward and the Ostrich-horses took off, running slightly ahead of the main body of troops. Aang kept his eyes dead set on the monster that was to be his foe, courage and bravery filling him with an energy he never thought possible. Ryu saw the army of his hated foe begin to charge and bellowed, "**Dark Legion! ANNHILATE!**" Ryu spread his wings and pushed them downward, propelling himself into the air as the horde of darkness surged forward in a bloodthirsty war cry. Ryu roared as he soared above the black ocean of his army, his wings continuously flapping up and down as he flew.

Aang saw the dark army begin its charge and shouted, "FREEDOM!" The soldiers behind him yelled even louder as they ran faster, keeping pace with the tanks as they fired upon the enemy. Hundreds of rocks and fireballs flew through the air towards the Dark Legion, hitting many enemy soldiers with deadly force while other attacks were blocked by enemy benders. The ground shook as earthen spires raced towards the tanks, knocking several out while others were blocked by friendly Earthbenders. Arrows filled the sky, darkening the blue canvas until it was almost nothing but black. As the arrows landed on either side, cries of pain and agony filled the air as countless soldiers were hit. Clever soldiers held their shields above their heads as they ran, blocking the deadly projectiles.

Aang looked up and saw Ryu as he approached, and he knew it was time for the final battle with the Emperor. He jumped up high into the air, bending the air around him to block flying projectiles. The two armies grew closer and closer, threatening to collide at any moment. Ryu spotted Aang and roared in a dark voice, "**Avatar! You are mine!**" The demon punched with his right fist, and a massive black stream of fire shot out towards Aang. The Avatar immediately countered with a sweeping kick, shooting fire out of his feet in a blazing arc. The two opposing fire attacks collided with each other, exploding just as the two armies collided. Looking down quickly, Aang could see his friends cutting a huge swath in the enemy line, killing Dark Legion troops left and right. Snapping his attention back to Ryu, he spun a ball of air in his hands and shot it at the dragon-human. Ryu tucked his wings in and flipped over the air ball and shot a fireball at Aang as he extended his wings again, the black flames burning maliciously. Aang swiftly dodged, only to hear a groan behind him.

Looking behind him, he was horrified to see that a Sky Bison had been hit by the black fireball. The mighty beast fell to the ground as it burned, dead on impact from Ryu's attack as its occupants also burned. Aang became angry and turned his attention back to Ryu, anger burning deep inside of him. He knew he had to isolate Ryu so that he wouldn't unleash his dark power upon the Fellowship of Nation's soldiers, which would result in the loss of more life. Sweeping his hands to either side, he sent waves of air towards Ryu. The demon dodged one air stream only to be hit by another, sending him flying towards the river near the mountain. Aang followed the spiraling dragon as he dodged fireballs from above, which were shot by Firebenders on the backs of Sky Bison soaring overhead. As soon as Aang cleared the air space, the Sky Bison swooped lower so that the Firebenders could shoot more devastating attacks at the Dark Legion while the Waterbenders worked furiously to defend their mounts. The sound of clashing steel and ripping flesh filled the air, along with other horrid sounds of war.

Soon Aang and Ryu arrived at Mount Yami, the stone giant looming high above them as Aang threw Ryu to the shore of the river. Aang could still hear the main battle going on, and he hoped his friends would be all right…but he had his own battle to fight. As the Emperor struggled to get up, Aang landed on the shore about fifty feet from him. Drawing his hands up in a fluid motion, Aang bent the water in the river up in a large wave. Ryu quickly recovered and shot flames from his mouth up at the wave, evaporating it instantly. Aang stomped his left foot, thrusting a clawed hand upward. A spire shot out of the ground and hit Ryu in the back, sending him into the air above the river as he roared in pain. Aang swirled his hands around him and quickly encased Ryu in a ball of water, maintaining his fluid motions as he struggled to contain the thrashing beast inside. Ryu shot his limbs outward, causing himself to explode in a black fireball that destroyed the water sphere. Aang shielded himself with his arms, looking away as Ryu dropped into the river.

The dragon rose from the water and kicked at Aang, roaring as he shot large streams and arcs of black flames at him. Aang countered with a rock shield that he quickly bent around himself, bracing himself as the dark flames roared around him. Spinning around once and thrusting his open palms outward, he sent the slab of earth flying towards Ryu. The Emperor tried to counter with a burst of fire from his fists, but the stone was unaffected as it slammed into him. Ryu fell to the ground with a great crash, while Aang ran to the water. He jumped high over the river, bending the water to his hands while he was upside down. He landed on his feet, holding a floating sphere of water between his open palms, which were held off to the side. Ryu tucked in his wings and spun on his back, kicking streams of fire from his clawed feet. Aang quickly sent the water in his hands in front of him, blocking the flames as the liquid turned to steam. Aang stomped his right foot and raised his arms, causing two earthen slabs to jut out of the ground on either side of Ryu.

He brought his arms together and watched as the slabs moved in to enclose Ryu. The Emperor reacted quickly, pushing his arms and legs out to the side and stopping the advancing earth with his hands and feet. Aang struggled to move the slabs any further; Ryu's physical strength was unbelievable. Ryu opened his mouth wide and shot dark flames from his toothy maw, still holding the slabs in place. Aang quickly dodged to the right and positioned himself behind the slabs, shielding himself from further attacks. He slid his right foot forward and punched with his left hand, causing the ground underneath to shake. Suddenly, the slabs overcame Ryu's strength and the Emperor was sent flying, sandwiched in between the two slabs. Aang quickly shot air from his palms, propelling the stone rocket towards the side of Mount Yami. The dragon bellowed as his rock capsule slammed into the side of the mountain, the rock exploding on impact as a crater formed on the slope. Aang flew up into the air just as Ryu emerged from the dust, the demon screaming, "**Victory will be mine, Avatar!**" Aang ignored his words and continued to speed towards the Emperor, shooting large flames from his hands and feet at the dragon.

* * *

><p>Sokka never felt so alive in his entire life, the adrenaline surging through him like a strong drink. Everywhere he swung his deadly space sword, a Dark Legion soldier fell in a bloody heap. Team Avatar had split up shortly after the two armies had collided, seeking to cause as much devastation to the Dark Legion as possible. Suki had gone with him, covering his back as she felled her opponents with fan slices to the throat or quick martial arts strikes. The two warriors worked in tangent with one another, flowing smoothly into each other's movements as they continued cutting their way through the dark horde. Everywhere they looked, Dark Legion troops were intermingled with Fellowship of Nation warriors, a mangle of armor and weapons. Benders were everywhere, using their elements to their advantage. The battlefield was absolute chaos, dozens of lives being ended at least every second. Suddenly, Sokka saw a Dark Legion Airbender standing over a fallen Dreo getting ready to end the young monk's life with a knife. The young Chief sprang into action and stabbed the evil Airbender in the back, the black blade sticking out of his foe's chest.<p>

Sokka pulled the blade out and watched as the body of the dark Airbender fell to the ground, his eyes still open as they looked blankly up at the sky. Sokka saw that the Airbender had hard silver eyes, and he remembered that this was Taifeng, the brother of Qiufeng. Aang had told the young Chief about Taifeng after the Dark Legion Airbenders fled from Gufeng. Sokka turned his attention to Dreo and helped him up, loudly saying, "Guess being non-violent is useless in a place like this, huh Dreo?" Suki continued to cover the two men, fending off enemy soldiers at every turn.

Dreo nodded and said, "He took me by surprise. I owe you my life, Sokka." He paused and quickly added, "Toph owes you a big thanks for what you did for me." Sokka smiled and nodded, and suddenly they heard a piercing scream from above. Dreo and Sokka looked up to see an Air Nomad fall from the sky, an arrow protruding from his chest. They saw the Sky Bison that the Air Nomad had been piloting go out of control, mourning the loss of its master. "I got that!" exclaimed Dreo as he jumped fifty feet in the air, his Airbending propelling him up onto the Sky Bison's head. Dreo grabbed the reins and yelled, "Whoa, boy!" Soon he got the Sky Bison under control, much to relief of the benders in the saddle. Dreo let the beast hover in mid-air as he yelled down to Sokka, "I'll cover you guys from above! If you need me, just whistle! I can pick up on high pitched whistles using my Airbending! I'll pick you up as quickly as I can!" Turning to the Bison, he cried out, "Yip yip!" The beast roared as it flew on, the benders in the saddle continuing their grim work of attacking the Dark Legion from above. Dark Legion Airbenders kept jumping in the air in an attempt to knock out the Sky Bison, but most were either gored by the massive beasts or shot down by Firebenders.

Sokka and Suki fought on for at least another ten minutes, slicing through countless enemy soldiers with their weapons. Their armor became coated in blood, making their armor appear partially red. At one point, Sokka turned to see a Dark Legion warrior holding a mace high above his head, ready to smash it down on an occupied Suki. Sokka's eyes widened as he screamed, "No!" He jumped forward and hacked the soldier to bits, mercilessly chopping off limbs and stabbing the warrior in the chest several times. Suki turned around to see Sokka panting behind her, blood smeared on his face. She looked down and saw the warrior who had moments before been ready to end her life, and a chill went up her spine.

She looked at Sokka and said, "Thank you." Sokka smiled and nodded, glad that his future wife was safe for now. Suki looked behind him, her eyes widening in surprise. "Sokka!" she cried out, causing him to look behind him. His heart dropped when he saw Kongju and Azula racing towards them, their hands burning with flames.

"Time to go!" yelled Sokka, and he brought his fingers to his lips and whistled with all his might. He wiped the blood off his face as he looked up in the sky, waiting to see Dreo fly towards them. His eyes kept glancing between the sky and the two Firebenders, panic building in his mind as he saw no sign of Dreo. "Where is that kid?" he screamed, watching helplessly as Kongju and Azula came closer. Soon, Sokka realized that Dreo hadn't heard him after all. He looked sadly at Suki and said, "I guess this is it…come here." Tears were in Suki's eyes as she hugged Sokka, both of them waiting for the end to come. _Yue, please watch over my friends when I'm gone_, prayed Sokka to the Moon Spirit. _Tell Katara I was proud to have been her brother, and that I love her._ As he saw Kongju and Azula close in for the kill, he closed his eyes and braced himself.

Suddenly, a roar bellowed from above and a massive blast of air blew away Kongju and Azula as well as anyone in their proximity. Sokka and Suki looked up and saw a Sky Bison land heavily on the ground, roaring as it fended off the Dark Legion with its horns and tail. The benders in the saddle jumped down and joined the fight, using fire and water against their enemy. They saw a smiling Dreo on top of the Bison's head, and the young monk asked, "Need a lift, Chief Sokka?"

Sokka and Suki smiled as they ran towards the Bison, and Sokka happily shouted, "I guess we're even now, kid!" Dreo laughed at Sokka's comment, joy filling his gray eyes. Sokka and Suki clambered up the massive tail of the Bison and collapsed in the saddle in a heap. Sokka looked up at Dreo and shouted, "Go!" Dreo whipped the Sky Bison into the air with a mighty "Yip yip!" Soon the Bison was high above the battlefield, and only now did they see the true scale of the conflict. He and Suki looked over the side and saw the carnage unfold. The plain below them was cluttered with hundreds of thousands of people, all fighting at the same time. Sokka turned to Dreo and shouted, "We need to find the others! If we can get our team back together, maybe we can go help Aang if he needs us." Dreo nodded and began scanning the ground below for any sign of their friends, straining to tell the difference between friend and foe. Suddenly, he spotted something and shouted, "Hang on! I think I see one of them!" He pulled the reins hard to the right, flying the Sky Bison towards what he thought was one of their teammates.

* * *

><p>The Avatar and the Emperor flew along the side of Mount Yami, circling their way up the steep mountain as they continued their battle. Ryu roared as he blasted more black flames from his clawed hands, which Aang swiftly dodged as he flew onward. Aang kept jabbing outward with his hands, bending the rock in the mountain to jut out in pillars in attempt to knock Ryu out of the sky. The demon ducked and swooped past the obstructions, malicious intent burning in his purple eyes. Aang shot an air stream at the dragon from his cupped hands, the mighty gale blasting its way towards Ryu. The air stream hit him and sent him falling downwards until he regained control with his wings and soared back up to meet the Avatar, roaring as he kicked arcs of blazing flames upwards towards Aang. The monk countered with a fire shield, bending the flames around him as he blocked Ryu's dark attack.<p>

As the flames vanished, Aang eye's widened as he saw Ryu circling his arms around, black electricity dancing at the edge of his claws. Thinking quickly, Aang cleared his mind and let the energy flow, generating white lightning at the end of his fingertips. The two fighters brought their fingers together at the same time, then jabbed out simultaneously as black and white energy raced towards each other. The two lightning bolts exploded as they collided with each other, creating a massive cloud of smoke from the magnitude of energy involved. Aang saw his opportunity and propelled himself up the side of Mount Yami, peaking over the summit and falling into the opening at the top of the dormant volcano.

Aang descended quickly in a controlled fall for two miles, his Airbending keeping him from plummeting to his death. He finally landed on the floor of the main cavern seconds after he had entered the top, and he quickly scanned his surroundings. The cavern was completely empty except for Ryu's dark palace, which loomed menacingly over the Avatar. He suddenly thought of something, but the idea seemed so crazy that at first he didn't believe it would work…but he smiled to himself for thinking like a mad genius. He turned and faced the palace, his seismic sense telling him that the building was indeed made of stone. He quickly set out to work, stomping his right foot and making several chopping motions with his hands. He heard the palace groan under his assault, the stone shifting ever so slightly as he split the building into individual sections. Once he was done, he stood up and smiled to himself just as he felt a heavy force slammed down into the ground sixty feet behind him.

Aang whipped around to see a _very_ angry Ryu facing him, black flames dancing on his clawed hands. "**That was a clever trick you pulled back there with the lightning, Avatar,**" hissed the demon, darkness heavy in his voice. He chuckled evilly and said, "**But I'm afraid your little escape has brought you no closer to winning over me than the day you became my enemy. Any last words before I slay you, Avatar?**" Ryu took a fighting stance, his demonic wings spread wide as black flames dripped out of his toothy maw.

Aang merely smiled and replied, "Yeah…you're going to need a new palace, Ryu." A look of confusion came over the Emperor's reptilian face, stunned for a moment by Aang's unusual response. The Avatar shouted and thrust his fists forward, sliding his right foot along the ground and stomping his left foot. The black palace groaned and collapsed, large chunks of the evil structure flying over Aang towards Ryu. The Emperor quickly flew backwards, evading the huge blocks of his beloved palace as they fell around him, threating to crush him under their weight. Aang quickly propelled himself upward on a cyclone from his feet, watching as the palace completely crumble around Ryu like large playing blocks. He laughed to himself as he flew upward, satisfied with his work.

When he was about a mile and a half upward, he heard Ryu deeply bellow, "**You will die for that, Avatar!**" Aang looked down as Ryu roared and flew upward, blasting a large inferno of dark flames from his mouth. The huge firestorm spread itself out, completely blocking Aang's view of the ground. Aang gasped as he saw the edge of the blaze turn into the head of a dragon, its eyes burning dark purple and its flaming black maw opened up to consume him. Aang whipped his arms around him, bending the air into a funnel that he threw at the flaming dragon. He hit the burning beast in the middle of the mouth, snuffing out the flames as they swirled around the funnel. Ryu roared again as he burst through the funnel and shouted, "**Curse you, Avatar! I will end your line MYSELF!**"

Aang quickly flew through the opening at the summit, closing it behind him with his Earthbending. He flew a hundred feet above the mountain and waited, expecting Ryu to burst through at any moment. The silence was agonizing, and for a brief second he fooled himself into thinking that he was safe…at least until Ryu burst through the seal with a huge explosion of black flames. He yelped in fright as he saw Ryu fly out of the smoke cloud, roaring at the top of his lungs as he sped towards Aang. Ryu shot black flames from his hands and mouth, the three fire blasts intertwining as one massive fire stream as they approached Aang. The Avatar thrust outward with an open palm, a powerful spire of orange flames shooting down to intercept the attack. The black flames parted around his, dissipating harmlessly on either side of him.

Suddenly, Ryu burst through and grabbed Aang, opening his mouth wide as he prepared to bite into Aang's head with his ferocious teeth. Aang sucked in a huge breath of air and blew outwards, hitting Ryu square in the face with gale-force wind. The Emperor became detached from Aang, spinning in the air as he fell out of control. Aang quickly bended several rocks out of the side of the mountain and sent them flying towards Ryu, hitting him with many of them. The dragon roared in pain as he crashed against the side of the mountain, rolling down the slope in his mad free-fall. Aang quickly flew downwards to continue the fight, hoping that his friends were still alive.

* * *

><p>Toph was a having a blast, and she felt at home on the field of battle. Even though she could feel everyone around her, she was still able to discern which ones were friend or foe and which of those foes were attacking her. As soon as she detected a threat, she would blast it away with a rock or earthen wave. She was untouchable, gliding effortlessly through the battlefield as she killed any Dark Legion soldier foolish enough to try and stop her. The enemy Earthbenders were no match for her; rather, they were just fodder to her. She smiled to herself, and in that moment she knew for sure that she would go down in history as the single greatest Earthbending master of her time.<p>

Suddenly, she felt an earthen wave speed towards her. She immediately stopped it with a firm stomp of her foot, erecting a rock wall in front of her. She dropped the wall and felt a presence approach her, one she had felt before. She never forgot how a person feels when they walk, and she can distinguish people just by feeling the weight of their footsteps. She knew immediately that these footsteps, heavy and commanding, belonged to none other than Long Feng himself. The leader of the Dai Li strode up to the blind Earthbender and said angrily, "It seems I've stumbled upon a little blind rat who's lost her way."

Toph smirked and said mockingly, "At least I'm not old like you, Mr. Cue Ball." Long Feng snarled at her and raised his hands above his head, bringing six rocks bursting out of the ground. With quick thrusts and punches, Long Feng launched the stone projectiles at Toph. The blind Earthbender blocked each and every rock with hand blocks, shattering the stones against her pale hands. Long Feng growled and thrust upward with open palms, causing the earth underneath to shake. Toph slid on her feet as she nimbly dodged fifteen earthen spires that erupted underneath her. They fought on for several minutes, Toph expertly ousting Long Feng in nearly every aspect of Earthbending. It was as if she was toying with him, not showing him her full strength as a master of the earth. Sensing a warrior coming up on her right, she grabbed him and twisted his armor, causing him to scream in pain. Toph spun around and launched the warrior at Long Feng, who merely blocked the attack with a rock wall. The warrior's spine snapped and he lolled to the ground, his eyes going cross as he died. Long Feng took a wide stance and punched forward, sending the rock wall racing towards Toph.

Toph stomped with her foot and thrust outward with her chest, bracing herself as she passed through the rock wall. The stone fell apart and left her encased in rock armor, giving her a fearsome appearance. She moved in with blinding speed towards Long Feng, closing the distance between them in an instant. She formed the rock around her right hand into a sharp point and thrust upward, hitting something soft and fleshy. Blood erupted on her rock armor as the stone blade stabbed through Long Feng's gut, a look of shock in his green eyes as blood poured out of his mouth. "I-Impossible…" he stuttered in a death gargle, darkness creeping into his eyes as his life was extinguished. Toph pulled the bloody stone blade out and felt Long Feng fall to the ground dead, and she smiled to herself.

She let her rock armor fall off her and stood over her opponent, saying, "That's what you get when you mess with the best." Suddenly, she heard a Sky Bison roar above her, and she turned her head so she could hear better.

She heard a voice call out "Toph! Get on now!" She instantly recognized the voice as Dreo's and she smiled, glad to know that her boyfriend was safe. She launched herself in the air on a rock pillar, losing her connection with the ground. She fell into the saddle as she felt two pairs of arms grab her, stopping her from falling too hard. When she righted herself and held on to the edge of the saddle, she heard Dreo say, "Thank the Wind Spirits you're all right! Sokka, Suki, and I have been looking for you everywhere!"

Sokka looked down and saw the dead leader of the Dai Li, and his eyes widened in surprise. He looked at Toph and asked, "Did…did you kill Long Feng all by yourself?" Dreo and Suki looked at Toph with the same amount of surprise as Sokka, but they all knew that Toph was a capable fighter.

Toph smiled and said, "Let's just say that when Long Feng was fighting me, he got the _point_." She chuckled and added, "I _cut_ his career with the Dark Legion a bit short, if you catch my drift." Sokka rolled his eyes at Toph's bad puns about stabbing and cutting, for he had gotten the message the first time. Somehow, Toph was able to sense this and said, "Hey, if you get to make bad puns, I should be able to as well." Turning her attention to Dreo, she asked, "So what's the plan, Air Boy?"

Dreo whipped the Sky Bison into action, resuming their flight through the sky. He turned back to Toph and shouted, "We're trying to get the rest of Team Avatar gathered up so we can try and help Aang. The army should be able to take care of itself, even without all of our help." He turned to Sokka and asked, "Where to next?"

Sokka looked below and scanned the ground, searching for any other signs that indicated the location of their other friends. After an hour of searching, he spotted a flash of red hair in the crowd of soldiers and shouted, "I see Meigui! She's over there!" Dreo followed his gaze and pulled the Sky Bison around, racing towards the red-headed Earthbender.

* * *

><p>During the hour that the others were searching for Meigui, Aang fought furiously against the Emperor. Their blows went back and forth, with Aang having a lead against Ryu. Aang thought this was strange; even though he was the Avatar, the power of the Dark Draconus should have been able to match his own. Aang then realized something…the power of the Dark Draconus fed upon the negative emotions of the Avatar. Aang felt so confident and bold during his fight with Ryu, and he knew that was why the Emperor's attacks weren't as powerful as they could have been. He had beaten Ryu down about two hundred feet from the base of Mount Yami, the earthen sentinel almost mocking the Emperor as it loomed above him. As Ryu lay battered on the ground, Aang stood about forty feet from him and asked, "What's wrong, Ryu? Is my happiness making you weaker or something?" He smiled to himself, for he wanted to make Ryu angry.<p>

The dragon snarled and quickly stood up, shooting flames from his mouth at Aang. The Avatar bent an air shield around himself, snuffing out the black flames as they hit his defensive barrier. "**Laugh while you still can, Avatar,**" sneered Ryu menacingly, his purple eyes burning with hatred for the monk. "**The Dark Legion will claim victory on this day, and soon the world will be under my rule!**"

Aang shook his head and said firmly, "You're wrong, Ryu. The strength and valor of our troops will overwhelm the corrupt hearts of your soldiers. The world cannot live in darkness and destruction, for it would throw off the balance of all life."

"**Like I care about the balance!**" screamed Ryu, black flames erupting from his mouth in a short burst as he spread his wings briefly. "**In my world, even the utter mention of the **_**Avatar**_** will lead to immediate execution!**" He pointed at Aang threateningly and shouted, "**I will burn Gufeng to the ground myself after I slay you! Any who defy will perish by my hand!**" Raising his hands into the air, he said in a loud voice, "**I have transcended the limitations of mere mortal men…for I have become a GOD! Only the strongest can wield the power I have, for my heart is just!**"

"Your heart is as black as your soul!" retorted Aang, his eyes dead set on his foe as he dropped his arms by his sides. "You are nothing but a power-hungry tyrant who uses vile means to get his way." He paused and firmly added, "You're just like Fire Lord Ozai…corrupt, insane, and heartless. No one in their right mind would ever follow a person as evil as you."

Ryu chuckled darkly and said, "**Not if they were **_**forced**_** to accept me as their leader. You would be surprised to see what people will do if they are…persuaded properly.**" He paused for a moment, a pondering look in his evil eyes. "**You know that sending her away was foolish indeed.**" Aang suddenly became afraid, knowing full well that Ryu was referring to Katara. "**Oh yes, I know you very well Avatar. I know you would do anything to protect your precious little Katara.**"

"Leave my wife out of this!" shouted Aang, his soul filling with panic. "This fight is between you and me only!" His frenzied thoughts turned to those of his wife and child, and he now feared for their safety.

"**You cannot save them, Avatar,**" said Ryu darkly, his power seeming to grow as he stood up straight. "**We will find them, and we will kill them…yes, kill them very slowly.**" He chuckled as he said, "**I think I might even make a small meal out of your child.**" Aang's eyes widened as Ryu licked his evil lips, insanity shining in his eyes.

"You will _not_ lay a claw on my son!" screamed Aang at the top of his lungs, his fear overpowering every thought in his mind. Ryu laughed manically, the Avatar's fear and distress feeding his dark power.

Ryu stopped laughing and evilly shouted, "**I might even use your wife as my personal **_**pleasure **_**slave before I kill her!**" He licked his chomps in perverted pleasure, and he said, "**Of course, I'll use her as many times as I please…until she breaks, that is. When she does, I will kill her and eat her!**" He laughed as his drunkenness of the power he was obtaining from Aang flowed through his evil body, darkness filling his black soul with pure evil.

"I would rather _die_ than see Katara defiled by the likes of _you_!" screamed Aang, absolute terror filling his soul. All he could think of was Katara and Tenzin, how he had to protect them even when they were so far away. The bravery and courage he had felt at the beginning of the battle had completely crumbled away, leaving fear and despair in their place. He felt his heart ache with a great pain, and he knew that Ryu was drawing power from his negative emotions…but he couldn't control them as Ryu kept talking about Katara and Tenzin.

Ryu began to stride towards Aang, the earth underneath his feet cracking as he walked. Aang slowly backed up, fear filling his soul like never before. Ryu chuckled darkly and said, "**I believe I can arrange that.**" Ryu roared as he punched forward, a gigantic stream of black fire bursting from his clawed fist. Aang's eyes widened as he realized that Ryu's power had indeed increased, making the flames even bigger than if they were under the influence of Sozin's Comet. Aang quickly shot his own fire at the attack, but it was quickly swallowed up by the dark inferno. He braced himself as the darkness enveloped him, burning him with its dark flames. Aang screamed as he was sent flying, his master Airbender robes becoming torn and tattered from the attack. He slammed against the side of Mount Yami, creating a deep crater where he landed.

Ryu roared as he shot fire out of his mouth, the flames reaching massive proportions as they raced towards Aang. The Avatar quickly rolled over and encased himself in rock armor just as the black flames hit him. He screamed inside his armor as he felt the heat of the flames around him searing his skin, darkness enveloping his vision. As the flames vanished, his rock armor fell off him as he lay breathing raggedly. Suddenly, he felt a clawed hand grip the back of robes, picking him up and throwing him into the air. Aang screamed as he flew through the air, and he saw that he was flying towards the river. Using his arms, he hurriedly bent the water to catch him and soften his landing. The liquid reached up and grabbed him, absorbing his speed as it collapsed.

Aang swam to the surface, gasping for air as he looked around. He looked up to see Ryu hovering seventy feet above him, a large fireball burning bright in his hand. Ryu roared and threw the fireball downwards, causing it to quadruple in size with the force of his chi. Aang's eyes widened and he quickly ducked underwater, using his arms to bend a water current around him to speed him away. He got about fifty feet away until the water around him exploded, propelled viciously outward by the force of the exploding fireball. Aang was sent tumbling through the turbulent water before he righted himself, bending the water around him to catapult himself out of the river. He quickly flew into the air, the insane demon behind him laughing manically as he followed the Avatar and fired more massive fire attacks at Aang.

* * *

><p>Meigui was in the middle of heated battle with Jiliu, the strongest Waterbender in the Dark Legion. She had gotten separated from the others shortly after the two armies collided, and he found herself in the evil Waterbender's sights almost an hour later. Her Earthbending was no match against him, for he kept continuously changing and shifting his tactics, using her attacks to his advantage As he continuously whipped at her with water, he snarled and said menacingly, "Come here, pretty little Rose. I just want to give you a little something…a scar to match mine!" He dodged a rock she shot at him and whipped the water around her foot, freezing the liquid securely it. He pulled back with a grunt and pulled Meigui to the ground, causing her to cry out as she fell. She felt the liquid around her feet melt and grunted as Jiliu landed on her, using the water to secure her arms in ice while he sat on her stomach. He bent more water out of his water flask and gripped it in his hand, forming an ice dagger. He licked the frozen blade and said, "Now hold still…this will only hurt a lot!" He laughed manically as he slowly lowered the tip of the blade towards Meigui's face, aiming for the upper-right corner of her forehead.<p>

Meigui felt tears form in her green eyes as she watched the ice dagger come towards her, fear clutching at her heart. She watched as the frozen blade contacted her skin, slicing through it with ease. She closed her eyes and screamed in pain as Jiliu slowly cut diagonally down her face, dragging the horrid blade along her delicate skin. She felt the blade slide past her right eyebrow, making its way across her nose. She struggled against Jiliu as she tried to free herself, but he held her down firmly with the weight of his body. She could feel her blood dripping down her face fall into her mouth, leaving the taste of bitter copper on her tongue. The salt in her tears stung her wound as she sobbed, crying out in pain as Jiliu continued his bitter work. He finally made it to the left side of her jaw, pulling away the blade as he admired his work. Meigui continued to sob, the cut on her face burning like a raging fire.

Jiliu chuckled darkly and evilly said, "You know what? Since I'm feeling _generous_ today, I'll give you another one for free." He brought the blade down on the opposite side of her forehead, beginning the process that would give her another scar to mirror the first. Meigui screamed again as she felt the frozen malice of the blade cut across her face again, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. The pain was unbearable, as if someone were dragging an icicle down her face and rubbing salt in to intensify the pain. Soon the cuts formed an 'X', blood dripping down her beautiful face. Jiliu smiled darkly and said, "Ahh, payback. It feels _good_!" He laughed manically as he put the blade to Meigui's throat, preparing to end her life with a single swipe.

Meigui felt the cold ice touch the skin of her throat, and she knew there was nothing she could do. Sadness took hold of her as she thought of her dead parents and sister, how she might be joining them soon…but then she thought of her new family. She thought of Aang, Katara, Tenzin, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Zuko, Mai, Sun Tzu, Ursa, Dreo…and Gregor. She thought of how these people had become her dearest friends ever since she left Ba Sing Se with them, how they accepted them into their group as a member of their little family. They saw her for who she was rather than for what she had done in the past with the Dark Legion. She had always regretted joining the Dark Legion ever since her change of heart in the Chasm of Forbidden Darkness, but the guilt she felt for her actions was washed away be her friends.

She thought of Gregor, the Firebender who had flirted so handsomely with her back in Ba Sing Se. She had always thought most people from the Fire Nation were ruthless and calculating, but Gregor was different. He had a gentle and noble heart, a kind and honorable man unlike any she had seen in her whole life. She thought of how he had displayed his Firebending abilities back in Gufeng to win her approval, which was cut short by his hatred shortly after Kongju's appearance. She thought of her sadness after he had stayed behind at Mount Yami to fight off Ryu, allowing his friends to escape while he 'perished'. It was then she realized how much she cared for him, how much she needed him. She thought of his miraculous return to Team Avatar, and how she watched over him during the time he was unconscious. She wanted him to come back to her then so that she knew that he didn't hate her…and she thought of their first kiss. Perhaps it was only out of relief, a silly crush that caused her to do that.

She thought of how she and Gregor had started a relationship, even though they had kissed only twice…and the second time left them both embarrassed. Meigui thought of how much Gregor had changed over the course of their journey, how he had become more relaxed and outgoing. She liked that spirited side of him…and in that moment, she realized the truth about her feelings for Gregor…she loved him. She, an Earthbender without any parents, loved him, the High-General of the Fire Nation. She loved everything about him, from his gentlemanly ways to the braver side of him. She loved his strength and weaknesses…she loved him for who he was. Her fear turned to defiance, and she knew in that moment that she could not die…she would not die…she _will_ not die! She had to go back to Gregor and tell her how much she loved him, and not even this insane Waterbender would stop her.

She jerked her chin upwards, feeling the blade cut her slightly. The ground behind Jiliu erupted as a pillar of rock hit the Waterbender in the back, sending him flying off of him. Meigui stomped with her free foot, shattering her frozen bonds and standing up to face her foe. The pain of her cuts no longer affected her, but the taste of blood was still in her mouth. She stared at him with bravery in her eyes and shouted, "You made a big mistake! You think you have power over me? You are nothing!" She pounded her chest plate and said, "I am unmovable! You can never knock me down, no matter how swiftly you change like your water. I am solid like the mountains that surround my home! I…am…an EARTHBENDER!" She took a wide stance and punched upward, bringing several rocks out of the ground. She kicked the first one with her left foot, quickly spinning around and punching the remaining three. Jiliu used his water to slice through the rocks, but couldn't block the last one as it hit him in the chest. As he went flying, Meigui slid out with her right foot and punched down her leg. An earthen wave erupted in the ground below her, racing behind Jiliu and forming a wall as she raised her hands.

The evil Waterbender hit the rock wall, grunting in pain as he fell to the ground. Meigui took a fighting stance, this time waiting for Jiliu to make the first move. Jiliu got up and bended more water from his pouch to his hands, a menacing snarl on his scarred face. In his rage, he lashed out at Meigui with an ice whip. Meigui raised the earth underneath the whip and shattered it, leaving Jiliu to bend more water from his pouch as he charged the Earthbender. He formed ice claws around his hands while Meigui punched into the ground and, pulling them out of the ground, encasing them in rock gauntlets. She raised her hands just as Jiliu slashed downward in a roar, the ice scraping against the rock with a horrid screech. Meigui stood her ground as Jiliu kept slicing at her, blocking all his attacks with her earthen gauntlets. She felt more connected to her element than ever before, and she owed it all to her Sifu Toph.

Seeing an opening, she punched forward and hit the Waterbender in the stomach, sending him flying. She immediately stomped with her left foot and raised her right leg, also raising her right hand above her head. A spike came out of the ground and stabbed Jiliu in the stomach, blood erupting from his midsection as he looked in shock at the protrusion. Jiliu's body went limp, blood pouring out his mouth like a waterfall. Meigui straightened up and released her hold on the earth, retracting the spike and letting Jiliu's dead body hit the ground while her gauntlets fell apart. Meigui stared at her fallen opponent, feeling no remorse for having killed him. She only felt confidence and resolve in her body, pushing aside the frail side of her. "Meigui!" called a voice from above, causing the Earthbender to look up. She saw a Sky Bison above her, with Dreo at the reins and Sokka, Suki, and Toph in the saddle. "Climb aboard!" shouted Dreo, and Meigui shot up into the air on a pillar of earth. She landed in the saddle and looked at her friends, a serious look on her scarred face.

Sokka and Suki were surprised by Meigui's new appearance, and the young Chief asked, "What happened? How did you face get cut?" Toph seemed to perk up at this, for she didn't know what had happened to her pupil. Dreo steered the Sky Bison through the sky, scanning for Zuko and Gregor in the pandemonium below them.

Meigui firmly replied, "I fought against Jiliu and he pinned me down, giving me this scar on my face. He was about to kill me before I managed to throw him off me and finish him off with my Earthbending." Everyone's eyes widened in shock, and they stared at her in amazement. They were silent for a few moments as they absorbed the reality of Meigui having killed Jiliu.

Toph broke the silence and said, "You did well, Meigui. I can tell by the confidence in your voice that you were finally able to control the earth like a real Earthbender and stood your ground against Jiliu, waiting for the right moment to strike." She smiled as she added, "I'm proud of you, kid. You've definitely earned my respect as a fellow Earthbender, and I can proudly say that you are no longer my pupil. Congratulations, Master Meigui." The red-headed Earthbender smiled kindly at her former master, pride welling up in her heart.

"Thank you, Master Toph," replied Meigui, a smile on her freshly cut face. Suki went to tend to Meigui's face, but the Earthbender said, "Don't. I want it to heal on its own. It's my mark now…it will remind me of this day, the day I found the courage to be a true Earthbender." Suki looked at Meigui with compassion on her face, but she nodded in understanding and sat back down.

They flew on for almost fifteen minutes before they spotted what seemed like a massive fire battle on the edge of the battlefield, close by the river and away from the main body of troops. Orange and blue flames shot continuously back and forth, both sides seeking to burn the other. The group of heroes on the Bison saw four figures fighting furiously, two on each side. On the left side were Kongju and Azula, enraged looks on their faces as they attacked their opponents. On the right side were Zuko and Gregor, working in unison to thwart their foes. "Let's go get them!" exclaimed Dreo, pulling the Bison down towards the earth as they all hung on.

* * *

><p>Zuko and Gregor fought what seemed like the longest battle of their lives, for they had been battling Kongju and Azula for more than an hour. They had engaged each other in the middle of the battle and the four Firebenders immediately began an air battle, flying through the air on flame jets while shooting at each other. Kongju and Azula were fierce opponents, orange and blue flames working in tangent as they sought to snuff out the Fire Lord and High-General. They had all finally landed near the river, still fighting as strongly as when they had started. Zuko and Gregor kicked in unison, sending several streams of fire at Kongju and Azula. The evil Firebenders dodged and punched at the heroes, sending fireballs at them. Gregor nimbly caught Kongju's flames and streamed them around his body, making the fire flow like water through his hands. Zuko blocked Azula's blue fireballs with strong hand blocks similar to those of the Dancing Dragon.<p>

Gregor sent Kongju's fire back at him in a wave of flames, while the Fire Lord spun on his back and kicked bands of flames at Azula. Kongju and Azula were knocked back by the attack, and Zuko and Gregor looked at each other. The two men nodded and took a stance, clearing their minds of all emotion. They felt the two energies of Yin and Yang around them, and they broke the connection between them. They brought their fingers around in circular motions, electricity dancing at their fingertips. They brought the energies crashing back together and jabbed their fingers at their opponents, lightning shooting out of their fingertips. Kongju and Azula quickly got up and dodged, the bolts of pure power exploding on the ground where they had been moments before.

As smoke filled the air, they heard the roar of a Sky Bison off to their right. Zuko and Gregor looked to see the mighty beast flying towards them, Dreo at the reigns. He gestured for the two Firebenders to climb aboard, and Gregor turned to Zuko and said, "Go. I'll hold off Kongju and Azula while you get on board. I have a feeling we're getting everyone together to go help Aang."

Zuko shook his head and said, "No, Gregor. I'm not leaving you behind to prove your honor-"

"This isn't about honor!" shouted Gregor, a look of seriousness in his eyes. "Aang is going to need your help more than mine, and I'm doing this to give you a chance to escape." He looked to his left and saw Kongju and Azula emerge from the smoke, angry looks on their faces. He turned back to Zuko and shouted, "Go!" The Fire Lord was frozen for a moment, but he nodded and jetted aboard the Sky Bison. Gregor turned to face his opponents, determination in his golden eyes.

"What are you doing?" screamed Dreo. "Get up here now!" Gregor paid no attention to his brother's frantic cries, and he readied himself for what could be the end. Kongju and Azula looked at each other with evil smiles and nodded, and the two began generating lightning. Gregor prepared to redirect the attacks, opening up the energy pathways in his body. As the evil Firebenders shot their lightning, Dreo screamed, "NO!" Gregor jabbed out with both his hands, letting one bolt go to each hand. He screamed in pain as he tried to redirect two lightning bolts, but the power was too much for his pathways to handle. He fell to his knees, massive amounts of power coursing through his body. His friends could only look on in horror as they watched Gregor shake, slowly succumbing to the overload of energy.

Kongju and Azula laughed, and the insane Princess said, "It seems that not even the mighty Gregor can redirect two lightning bolts at once."

Kongju chuckled in agreement and added, "Yes, Azula, and soon he will die. No one has ever been able to redirect two lightning bolts at once, not even an Avatar. You are _doomed_, Gregor." Kongju and Azula laughed manically as Gregor doubled over in pain, his teeth grit in agony.

As Gregor's life flashed before his eyes, he saw himself during the journey he had taken in the past few weeks with Team Avatar. Thanks to all his friends, he had changed in ways he never thought possible. His friends had helped him to see who he really was, not the stiff and formal High-General of the Fire Nation, but rather the kind-hearted and outgoing man they had all come to love dearly. He thought of how they had all become like a family to him, and how he would give his life to save them. He thought of Meigui, the woman who had caused the most change in him. He thought of her smile, her laughter, her red hair and green eyes, her kindness and gentle heart, and as he thought of all the things he had been through with her, he realized something…he loved her. He, the High-General of the Fire Nation, loved her, an Earthbender with no parents. He loved her even after what she had done with the Dark Legion years before they met, and he knew that he must return to her alive…for he realized how much he needed her. The thought of being without her was even more painful than the searing lightning that was consuming his very body.

He snapped his eyes open, defiance and strength burning in his shining eyes. "No!" he shouted as he looked up, earning him surprised and shocked looks from Azula and Kongju. He painfully stood up on one knee, his inner fire fueling him with a power he had never felt before…the will to survive and return to the one he loves with all his heart. "I refuse to give up!" he exclaimed as he stood up, feeling the lightning bend to his will. "I refuse to surrender!" he shouted as he stood up on both feet, anger and courage burning bright within him. "I REFUSE TO DIE!" he screamed as he stepped forward and jabbed out with both hands, shooting the lightning back at their masters with a deafening _BOOM!_ Kongju and Azula stood helplessly as they watched the lightning race toward them, disbelief in their eyes as the energy bolt hit them both in the chest, killing them instantly and throwing them to the ground.

As Kongju and Azula fell dead, several Airbenders attacked Dreo's Sky Bison and forced it to fly back over the main battle. Dreo struggled to get free, but it was no use. "Gregor!" he shouted as his brother grew smaller in the distance. Gregor watched as the Sky Bison was pushed further and further back, and suddenly his heart collapsed form the overload of energy. As his vision went black, he no longer saw Dreo's Sky Bison and knew that there was no escape this time as he fell on the ground. He slowly closed his eyes, feeling darkness creep over his soul.

After an agonizing minute of pain, he knew that death would come soon. He never thought he would die on this day, during the midst of the biggest battle the world has ever witnessed. He sighed and felt the cold take hold of him, and he knew that he wasn't going to make it. Suddenly, his energy felt restored as a blue glow enveloped his chest. His heart felt like it was being mended, the blue glow restoring it to its original form. An angelic voice to his right chuckled and said, "It seems I've saved your life twice, Gregor." The High-General opened his eyes to see who the voice belonged to, but his vision was too blurry to tell.

"Who…who are you?" he whispered quietly, still too weak to move. The voice sounded very familiar to him, but in his weakened state he couldn't distinguish it.

As the blue glow faded, the voice replied, "Think of me as one who's been a true friend to you. Now rest, Gregor. The others will come for you soon enough." Gregor did as the voice told him and closed his eyes, his weariness and exhaustion taking hold of him.

Soon he heard another voice calling him, and when he opened his eyes he saw his brother standing over him. "Thank the Spirits you're alive!" exclaimed the young monk. "I've been trying to wake you up for almost five minutes now. Those Airbenders kept us at bay for ten minutes." As he helped his brother to his feet, he added, "It took all of my flying skills to shake them loose."

Gregor looked around to see Sokka, Suki, Toph, Meigui, and Zuko standing around him, worried looks on their faces. "Was there anyone else here when you guys found me?" He remembered the voice that had healed him, and he was annoyed that he still couldn't recognize who the voice belonged to. It was sweet and melodic like the waves of the ocean, happiness coating the voice like fresh snow. Dreo shook his head and Gregor replied, "I must have been imaging someone then…" He looked over at Meigui and gasped when he saw her scarred and bloody face. "Meigui!" he cried out as he embraced her. He leaned back and asked, "Who did this to you?"

"Jiliu did this," replied Meigui firmly, a hardness in her eyes that Gregor had never seen before. "He scarred my face, and I killed him. Simple as that." Gregor looked at her in shock, but relaxed as her eyes softened. "Listen," she said, "there's something I need to tell you…I love you, Gregor." The High-General was surprised at first, but then happy that Meigui had come to the same realization as him.

"I love you too," he replied softly, smiles appearing on their faces. They kissed each other passionately, love pouring out of their hearts as they were reunited. They separated and stared into each other's eyes, nothing but pure love on their faces. Gregor looked around at his friends and said, "Let's get going. Aang needs our help." They nodded in agreement with him and they all made their way back to the Sky Bison, which took off after they all boarded and began heading towards Mount Yami. Gregor held Meigui's hand the entire time, bright smiles on their faces as they looked at one another lovingly. In the back of his mind, however, the voice still nudged at him, teasing him with mysterious identity of its owner.

* * *

><p>As Aang flew through the air, he looked behind him to see Ryu breathe fire out of his mouth and begin to spin. The black flames enveloped the dragon as he corkscrewed, turning the Emperor into a spinning cyclone of dark fire. Aang's eyes widened as he flew onward, desperate to get away from Ryu. Suddenly, he felt the heat of the black flames behind him, the roar of the flames in his ears. He felt the cyclone slam into his back and he screamed in pain, feeling himself pulled into the dark vortex. He felt himself slip past Ryu and bounce off the walls of the cyclone, the black flames burning him as he fell down. Ryu turned around and roared, shooting a massive stream of fire from his feet. The black stream of flames slammed into Aang, throwing him out of the vortex and into the open air.<p>

As Aang fell, he felt his master Airbender robes disintegrate, his wooden monk necklace falling off of him. He was only left with a pair of black pants, leaving him bare chested. The pain he felt from the black flames was unbelievable, and for a brief while Aang's vision faltered. He could feel something rush past him, causing him to be hit from behind by a huge black fireball. Over and over again, Ryu flew around Aang and pelted him with attacks, keeping the weak monk in the air as the Emperor mercilessly beat him. Ryu laughed manically and shouted tauntingly, "**Too weak to fight me now, Avatar?**" He laughed again, his dark voice ringing in Aang's mind as the black flames continued to assault him. For almost five minutes, the Emperor brutally attacked the Avatar, unleashing all his dark power on the helpless monk.

Finally, Ryu flew in front of Aang and unleashed his most devastating attack yet, shooting massive black fire streams from his mouth, hands, and feet. The five fire streams combined into one titanic fire storm, hitting Aang with all the force of two Sozin's Comets. Aang's vision went dark as he fell from the sky, his skin burning in some places from the flames. He landed on the ground about fifty feet from the base of Mount Yami, forming a large crater as he landed. Aang lay where he had fallen, his breathing ragged and uneven. All he could feel was pain, the excruciating and agonizing pain of his own flesh burning. With all the energy he could muster, he blew air over his body, putting out the flames. He then lay still, as if inviting death to come at any moment.

As Ryu landed and walked towards him, Aang thought of all his friends. He felt like he had failed them all by letting his fear for Katara's safety give Ryu the upper-hand, allowing his power to double in its ferocity. As Ryu picked him up on his feet, Aang thought of Katara, the love of his life. He thought of how he had failed _her_, how he wouldn't be there to raise their son together. He thought of how he wouldn't have any more children with her, how Tenzin would become the sole heir to the Avatar's legacy as a son. Ryu roared as he spun around and kicked at Aang, sending the Avatar against the side of the mountain. Aang crashed against the rock slope, crying out in pain as he felt sharp rocks go into his back.

Ryu drew in a deep breath and exhaled, a black mist coming out of his toothy maw. The dark mist flew towards Aang and enveloped his body, leaving only his head exposed. The black mist began to solidify, turning into a black and purple crystal that imprisoned Aang's body. It was if Ryu had gained control of the darkness in his body and was able to bend it to his will. Aang looked up with weary eyes as he saw Ryu walk towards him, an evil smile on his demon face. "**I must admit, Avatar,**" he said, "**you are more skilled than I previously thought. You have gained much power and bending prowess over the years…but I am afraid that now you are no match for me.**" As he walked up to Aang, he chuckled and added, "**I must thank you for giving me this power. Without your fear and doubt, my power would not have increased to what it is now.**" He leaned close to Aang's ear and hissed, "**Your fear is my strength, and your anger is my power. When you come into your next life, think of how you failed in this one…about how you let my darkness cover the world. You…have…**_**failed**_**.**"

Ryu stood back and darkly said, "**As fun as this petty little game of ours has been, it is time that I end it once and for all. Goodbye, Avatar.**" Ryu roared as he drew back a fist, black flames bursting to life on his clawed hand. Aang felt sadness overtake him, and he closed his eyes as he waited for the end…_his_ end.

"Get away from him!" screamed a voice on Aang's left, where the river was. Ryu snapped his head to his right to see a wall of water coming towards him, and the demon faltered in his surprise. Aang opened his eyes in time to see the water crash against Ryu, carrying him a hundred feet away from him. Ryu roared and struggled against the rushing water, but he was trapped. He roared again but was cut short as the water enveloped him in a sphere and froze around him, encasing him in a prison of ice.

Aang looked to his left to where the voice had come from, and what he saw made his heart go cold. "No…" he whispered in fear and disbelief as saw a figure with long, dark brown hair running towards him. The figure he saw running towards him was the most important person in his life, and yet the person he didn't want to see at all on this day. As he looked on, he felt fear and doom come over him as he recognized the figure…it was Katara.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Ultimate Darkness

This is it...the second part of my finale. If you thougt the last chapter was epic, trust me when I say that you have not seen true epicness yet. I can personally guarantee that this chapter will blow your mind away. Enjoy, read, and review!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Nineteen: Ultimate Darkness**

"Aang!" cried out Katara as she ran up to him, worry and concern in her deep blue eyes. She stopped in front of him and said, "Thank the Spirits I got here just in time! I'll get you out of this stuff." She bent water out of the pouch on her hip and began whipping at the dark crystal, the liquid smacking loudly as she whipped it back and forth.

"Katara, what are you doing here?" exclaimed Aang, fear in his eyes as he looked at his wife. "You're supposed to be with the others heading to Gufeng!" He paused as he realized something and added, "Who's looking after Tenzin?"

"Ursa's looking after him," Katara replied as she grunted, whipping the water against the black crystal as hard as she could. "After we left, I told my Dad I had to come back and help you. He refused at first, but in the end I persuaded him by saying that you're the only hope we have of winning." She grunted again as she whipped the water again, exclaiming, "Break, you stupid crystal!"

"Katara, you have to get out of here now!" yelled Aang as he struggled to break free, but to no avail. He had to get her out of here, to keep Ryu from bringing harm to her. Aang remembered Roku's dark words of doom ring in his head as he stared at Katara: _If Katara is killed, you will enter the Dark Avatar State and destroy whoever took her life. After the murderer is destroyed, you will be unable to exit the Dark Avatar State. Your grief, sadness, and anger at the loss of Katara will be so unbearable that you will lose control of your own powers. The Dark Avatar State will consume you, and all the bending powers of all the past Avatars will be unleashed upon the world with one thousand-fold strength and power._ He knew he had to stop that from coming true, but Katara's appearance set a fear in his heart that threatened to consume him.

"Ryu's not going anywhere for at least five minutes," replied Katara as she whipped the water again, the liquid merely glancing off the crystal. "That ice is colder than any iceberg in the South Pole…not even Ryu will break out of it quickly."

"No, Katara, you have to go _now_!" screamed Aan, tears forming in his eyes. She didn't understand the grim situation of her being there, how if she were to be killed…it would mean the end of the world.

"Aang," she retorted firmly as she whipped again, "I'm not leaving you here to die. I'm going to get you out and-" Before she could say anymore Aang violently cut her off.

"KATARA, IF YOU STAY HERE, WE'RE ALL GOING TO _DIE_!" Aang screamed at the top of his lungs, causing Katara to look at him in shock. The water whip fell out of her hand, falling in a puddle around her. He could see the pain in her eyes, the disbelief that she wore on her face. Aang could feel the tears fall down his face as she backed away from him slowly, staring at him as if he were some strange creature.

"What?" she whispered as she stopped seven feet from him, anguish and pain in her voice. Aang hung his head down, his tears falling on the crystal encasing him. He felt guilty about not having told Katara about his secret oath to Roku…but he was determined to fix this.

He looked up at her and asked, "Do you remember…when we were in Ba Sing Se and I talked to Roku about the Dark Avatar State?" She nodded slowly, her eyes staring at him in confusion. He sighed and guiltily said, "I didn't tell you everything…the only way I can go into the Dark Avatar State again is if…if…" He couldn't bring himself to say the dreaded words, causing more tears of sorrow to fall down his face.

"If what, Aang?" she asked in a cracked voice, tears flowing down her face. She felt betrayed by her husband, and the very thought of Aang keeping secrets from her made her heart ache. What secret was so terrible that he had to send her away with their newborn son just before the biggest battle in the history of the world?

Aang let out a choked sob and mournfully replied, "If you die, I will go into the Dark Avatar State…and destroy the world. I swore to Roku that…that I would keep you from fighting by my side. That's why I had to send you away…I couldn't risk you dying in this battle if you fought by my side." He sobbed as he said, "Please, Katara, you have to understand…I didn't want to burden you with this. You were already having a hard enough time with your pregnancy, and I just didn't want to make things worse. I never meant to hurt you…" He hung his head down and began crying, his sorrow for betraying Katara's trust and his hatred at himself for keeping secrets from her pouring out of his soul.

"Aang…" said Katara softly as she walked up to him, her face wet with tears of sadness and pain. She cupped her hand on his chin, gently forcing him to look up at her. She said in a choked voice, "A marriage is supposed to be built on trust…if you keep secrets like that from me, how can I trust you?" He could feel a slightly accusing tone in her voice, blaming him for all that was happening. Guilt completely washed over him as pain and despair entered his gray eyes, his tears cascading down his face.

"I knew you would hate me for this…" moaned Aang as he cried, sorrow blanketing his heart and soul. "You can just leave me to die for what I did…I deserve it for hurting you this way…I'm a horrible person, and I deserve to die!" He shouted this last part, his anger and hatred at himself growing stronger as he regretted keeping his secret from Katara. He wept as he saw pity well up in Katara's eyes, her lips quivering with sadness.

"Aang…" she whispered softly as she leaned closer to him, her eyes staring at him with compassion. "I don't hate you…I could never, _ever_ hate you for as long as I live…I know you did it out of the kindness and love of your heart…but you don't have to fight that kind of battle alone…that's why I'm here…" She held back a choked sob, tears falling down her face as she let her sorrow out. "…I married you because I love you for who you are…you are the most wonderful man in the world, the only man I could ever love this way…never forget that, Aang…never forget that our love can get us through anything, even this…I…I love you…" She closed her eyes and kissed him on the lips, her love and passion for the Avatar pouring through to his soul. Aang closed his eyes and returned the kiss, mending the rift that his secret had torn between them.

They were cut short as they heard a cracking sound behind them, the sharp sound of ice cracking. They quickly turned around and saw the ice sphere began to crack, and they knew that Ryu was gaining his strength back. Katara looked at Aang, fear and sadness in her eyes. Slowly the fear turned to determination, a bright fire of courage burning in her eyes. "It doesn't matter now," Katara said firmly, boldness in her angelic voice. "You're trapped and can't use your bending…and I'm the only one who can protect you." Aang's eyes widened in shock at Katara's words, and fear gripped his heart like death takes a soldier in heat of battle.

"No, Katara!" Aang shouted as Katara turned away from him, walking towards the ice sphere with a purposeful stride. "Don't do this!" he screamed helplessly, straining against his crystal prison with all his might. She ignored his pleas, stopping about sixty feet from the ice sphere and taking a fighting stance, her arms spread wide to her sides. The ice sphere shattered and fell apart, large chunks crashing to the ground around it. Katara quickly melted the ice and bent it around her, creating an arc of water around her body. Standing there, with a _very_ angry look on his demonic face, was Ryu the Dragon Emperor.

Ryu snarled at Katara and darkly said, "**If it isn't the Avatar's precious little wife, come to save her mate.**" He hissed and added, "**Do you really think you can take me on, the very manifestation of darkness itself?**" Spreading his wings wide, he shouted, "**I am invincible!**"

"You're insane, that's what you are!" shouted Katara in protest, causing Ryu to growl at her. "I will give my life to protect Aang…and I _will_ stop you myself, even if I have to kill you." Ryu roared and kicked at her, sending a massive stream of black flames at her. Aang looked on helplessly as Katara used flowing motions of her hands to create a shield of water in front of her, putting out the deadly fire stream. The two fighters began circling each other as they fought, Katara slowly walking to her left while Ryu walked to his left.

Aang tried to gather all his strength so he could break free, but the crystal refused to budge. "Katara, stop!" he screamed like a wounded animal, tears stinging his eyes as they fell. Ryu shot three fireballs from his clawed hands, which Katara blocked with a flowing water whip that she bended from the river behind her. Katara spun around and shouted, sending ice shards flying through the air at Ryu as she thrust out with a clawed hand. The frozen projectiles tore through the leathery fabric of Ryu's wings, causing the demon to roar in pain as holes appeared in his wings. "Please!" Aang cried out pleadingly, but Katara was not listening to him as she fought on. Soon, the two opponents had switched places, with Ryu's back to Aang and Katara facing towards Mount Yami.

Katara lashed out with a stream of water, which cut Ryu on his side. The dragon roared in pain, hatred burning in his eyes. "**ENOUGH!**" he screamed, fury and rage enveloping his black soul as he made circular motions with his arms, large amounts of black electricity dancing at his fingertips. Katara's eyes widened and she drew her arms up above herself, raising the water in the river up to her as it formed a wall in front of her. She froze it just in time as Ryu began to jab out with his fingers, but a shooting pain from his wounded side caused him to roar and lower his fingers slightly as he fired the lightning at Katara. Aang watched in stunned silence as the lightning hit the ground just in front of the ice shield, furiously exploding and shattering the frozen structure. Aang's heart froze as he heard someone scream, and his soul shattered as he realized that Katara had been caught in the blast.

"KATARA!" screamed Aang, shock and grief in his cracked voice. As the smoke cleared, he could see the ice wall had been destroyed…and Katara had disappeared. Aang's mind froze for a moment, realizing that Katara had been disintegrated by Ryu's lightning…she was gone…_dead_. Absolute grief and sorrow took hold of Aang's heart as he hung his head down and sobbed, his eyes shut tight as he cried his broken heart out. The love of his life was dead, never to return to his arms. All he felt was sorrow and anguish by the loss of Katara, his mind shattered beyond all repair. All he felt was sadness, grief, pain…and anger. He felt hatred and bloodlust rise up within him, a dark cloud that enveloped his soul and mind. Darkness…darkness…all he could feel was the darkness rising within him, a wild beast waiting to be unleashed on his enemy…the murderous demon who had taken Katara from him…Ryu. Aang grit his teeth in rage, savagery and blackness bursting forth from the deepest and darkest corner of his being.

He thought only two words: _Kill…Ryu_…_Kill…Ryu_…_Kill…Ryu_…_Kill…Ryu_…_KILL…RYU!_

Ryu straightened himself up and sighed with pleasure, saying, "**Now _that_ was immensely satisfying…although now I can't use her as my pleasure slave.**" He chuckled and evilly added, "**Oh well.**" As he was turning back to face Aang, he said, "**Now, Avatar, where were we-**"

"**NOOOOOOOO!**" screamed Aang in horrific and terrible voice, pure darkness flowing in his voice as he snapped open his eyes and quickly looked up. His eyes and tattoos burst to life with black light, deep red tingeing the edges of the dark glow. As he screamed, Ryu's eyes widened in surprise and fear. The Avatar's uncontrollable rage began to make the earth shake, violent tremors ripping through the ground. Black storm clouds materialized out of thin air, circling around Mount Yami as they appeared miles above the mountain. The water in the river began tossing violently, washing up on the shore with great waves. A massive gust of wind swept between the Avatar and the Emperor, nearly blowing Ryu off into the violent maelstrom. Aang's dark scream filled the air, lightning flashing in the sky above them and illuminating them.

"**It can't be!**" exclaimed Ryu, his wings tucked into his back to keep from blowing away. "**I have only heard legends of this terrible power…is this…the _Dark Avatar State_!**" Ryu had only briefly seen something about the Dark Avatar State when he was in the Spirit Library…the tale of Avatar Chi Fu and his encounter with the dark power hidden in the Avatar Spirit. He had dismissed the tale as nothing but a fantasy, a myth even…but now he saw how wrong he had been. He could feel his own dark power grow as the Avatar's negative emotions poured into him, but he knew that it was nothing compared to the power of the Dark Avatar State. Suddenly, Aang freed a single hand from the crystal, shattering it as he brought his arm out. Ryu's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "**Impossible!**" Aang smashed his hand against the opposite side of the crystal, freeing his other hand. With a roar of darkness, Aang freed his feet and fell to the ground.

Ryu watched in horror as Aang stood up, death burning in his black eyes. The arrows on his arms and legs were glowing the same deadly glow as his eyes and the arrow on his head, giving Aang a truly fearsome look. Aang roared at Ryu, a howling wind coming out of his mouth that violently buffeted Ryu. As the Emperor braced himself against the wind, Aang stopped roaring and said in a dark chorus of ancient voices, "**RYU…YOU HAVE TAKEN MY WIFE FROM ME…NOW I WILL _SLAUGHTER_ YOU!**" He roared again, his rage and fury at the Emperor growing as he felt unimaginable power rush through him. For the first time in Ryu's life…he truly felt afraid, and he knew in that moment that gods…do not feel fear.

* * *

><p>About a mile away was the rest of Team Avatar, flying along on the Sky Bison Dreo had acquired during the battle. They saw Mount Yami in the distance, but they could see no sign of Aang and Ryu fighting. They all became concerned, worried about the safety of their friend. "Aang will make it," said Sokka confidently, watching the dark mountain for any sign of the Avatar. "He always does…" he added quietly, mostly to himself. As they drew within half a mile of Mount Yami, they saw a huge bolt of lightning explode on the ground below them, for they were within the direct line of sight to see the explosion. Everyone in the saddle immediately clambered up to the front, and Sokka asked, "What was that?" Suddenly, they all saw a body fly up into the air from the ensuing smoke cloud, and they all squinted to get a better look at it. The body soon reached their level, flying just above their heads. They looked at the body and gasped…it was Katara, her eyes closed as she flew through the air. "Katara?" screamed Sokka, his eyes open wide in shock. As the Waterbender began to fall, he frantically shouted, "Someone do something!"<p>

"On it!" shouted Gregor, jumping off the Bison and igniting his feet with flame jets. He quickly shot up and caught Katara in his arms, grunting with effort as he struggled to fly the two of them back. Dreo stopped in mid-air, watching as the others caught Gregor and Katara. The High-General laid Katara down in the center of the saddle, everyone but Dreo (who stayed at the reins but looked back in concern) gathering around the Waterbender. Gregor checked Katara's vitals, placing his finger on her throat as he checked for a pulse. He thankfully found it, though it was slightly weak. He checked her breathing, and to his relief he felt her shallow breath on his face. He looked up at the others and said, "She's alive." Everyone let out a big sigh of relief, glad that she was alright. "However," Gregor added, "she's unconscious, probably knocked out by the concussive shockwave of the lightning blast." He then realized in that moment that it was Katara who had healed him after he had killed Kongju and Azula, mending his collapsed heart with her healing powers.

"But what is she doing here?" asked Suki, confused by Katara's sudden appearance. "I thought Aang had-" Before the Kyoshi warrior could say anymore, they heard a loud voice cut through the air like Sozin's Comet in the upper atmosphere.

"**NOOOOOOOO!**" screamed a dark voice, causing everyone on the Bison to look towards Mount Yami. Dreo brought the Sky Bison around so that the side of the saddle was facing towards Mount Yami, giving everyone a better view of what was happening below them. Team Avatar scrambled to the side, gathering around as they looked down below them. They gasped as they saw Ryu below them, but the Emperor was not what caused them to gasp…rather, it was Aang, who was pinned against the side of the mountain in a dark crystal. Fear took hold of their hearts as they looked at Aang, seeing his eyes and tattoos glow with the potent energy of the Dark Avatar State. The elements around him began reacting violently, dark storm clouds gathering overhead while the earth shook and the river churned savagely, a mighty gale-force wind blowing through the Avatar and the Emperor while lightning crackled in the sky.

"Oh no…" whispered Sokka, his eyes wide with fright. He looked over at the Fire Lord and said, "Zuko…you don't think that Katara-"

"Came back to help Aang," finished Zuko, looking over at Sokka with bright amber eyes. The Fire Lord and the Southern Water Tribe Chief looked back at the unconscious Waterbender, who was still lying in the saddle. "He never told her…" Zuko said softly, causing everyone (except Sokka) to look at him in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" asked Toph, oblivious to what was going on due to her blindness. "I can't see anything while I'm up in the air, geniuses!" she sarcastically exclaimed, gripping the side of the saddle as hard as she could to emphasize her point.

Zuko looked back at the others and said, "The day after Aang talked to Avatar Roku about the Dark Avatar State, he told us something that only the three of us knew at the time…he told us that the only way he could enter the Dark Avatar State is if Katara was killed." They all looked back down at the enraged Avatar, the reality of the situation sinking in. "Katara must have come back to try and help Aang, and I'm guessing from the crystal around him Ryu did something to trap him. Katara fought Ryu in an attempt to protect Aang, but ended getting blasted away as a result, and now-"

"He thinks she's dead," finished Toph softly, causing the Fire Lord to nod grimly at her. "He must be in a lot of pain…" she said sadly, a glistening tear rolling down her face as she thought about her friend. _I would feel the same way if I lost Dreo…_ she thought to herself.

"Look!" shouted Meigui as she pointed at Aang, causing everyone to look at the Avatar. They watched as Aang burst out of his crystal prison and dropped to the ground, the elements around him and the Emperor still in turmoil. Aang stood up on his feet, staring at Ryu with burning hatred and anger in his blackened eyes. He roared viciously at the Emperor, a howling wind blowing from his mouth and buffeting Ryu.

Aang stopped roaring and said in a dark chorus of ancient voices, "**RYU…YOU HAVE TAKEN MY WIFE FROM ME…NOW I WILL _SLAUGHTER_ YOU!**" As he roared again, everyone's eyes widened in surprise. They all knew what would happen if Aang managed to kill Ryu while he was in the Dark Avatar State…he would lose control of his bending powers and destroy the world. Before they could do anything, Aang punched the ground on his right, sending a violent tremor through the right side of the mountain. He roared as he spun around and stomped with his left foot, thrusting a clawed hand at the ground and sending a similar tremor through the left side of the mountain. Aang faced towards the mountain, taking a wide stance as he began to slowly raise his arms up. The mountain seemed to groan under Aang's assault, shifting slightly from the force of his Earthbending. After several seconds, Aang roared as he stomped his left foot and upper-cut punched with his right arm. Suddenly, the base of the mountain seemed to crumble, and slowly the massive stone behemoth began to rise off the ground.

Team Avatar could only watch in dumbstruck amazement and shock as Mount Yami rose three hundred feet into the air, a colossal chunk of earth clamped to the underside of the mountain. Aang slowly turned around, his hands up above his head as he kept the titanic weight of the earth above him. He finally faced Ryu and roared again, his voice filled with an even darker power than before. "What's going on?" asked Toph, having heard the earth below erupt under Aang's bending.

"Aang just picked up the ENTIRE MOUNTAIN!" screamed Sokka, causing Toph's eyes to widen in surprise. Aang roared again, causing lightning bolts to strike the mountain. The electricity coursed down the stone colossus as it arced through it, sparking at the very bottom of the mountain as it rushed into the ground below.

Suddenly, Aang bellowed even louder and jumped into the air, his wrath fueling his Airbending. Everyone watched in stunned fear as the mountain rose with him, higher and higher into the air until he was almost three-quarters of a mile in the sky as he continued to roar. None of them had ever seen a sight like this in their young lives…it was if the entire earth was under Aang's dark command, bending even the mightiest of mountains to his enraged will. "Now what's happening?" asked Toph over Aang's roar, still unable to see what was happening.

"Aang just flew up almost a mile up in the air with the ENTIRE MOUNTAIN!" screamed Sokka in reply, his blue eyes bulging as he watched Aang fly upwards while carrying the mountain. Aang roared again as he spun around, causing the entire mountain to rotate around him. He thrust downward with his hands and the entire stone giant angled towards the ground, the summit aimed right where Ryu was standing. As the mountain fell to the ground, Sokka fearfully cried out, "Dreo! Get us out of here NOW!"

The monk pulled hard on the reins, causing the Sky Bison to groan as it flew away from the plummeting mountain. They all watched as Ryu swiftly tried to dodge the mountain, his black wings carrying him as fast as they could. The Emperor got out of the way just in time as Mount Yami slammed violently into the ground, completely shattering into millions of large chunks of rocks. Ryu flew up into the air and looked down at the carnage, watching as the tumbling remains of the mountain continued to shift, as if having come alive as a result of Aang's actions. Dreo brought the Sky Bison to halt, shifting the animal so that everyone could see the battle. As the earth began to settle, Toph looked up and shouted, "_Now_ what happened? I can't see a blasted thing that's happening!"

"Aang just threw the ENTIRE MOUNTAIN at Ryu!" screamed Sokka, causing Toph's jaw to drop open in shock. "I don't know how Ryu managed to get out of there fast enough," said Sokka in amazement, not having to resort to screaming this time.

"There has to be something we can do!" shouted Gregor desperately. "We can't just sit here and let Aang destroy himself in this way! It'll spell doom for the _whole world_ if he manages to kill Ryu!" They all thought hard of ways to help Aang, but nothing came to their minds that was even remotely helpful.

Suddenly, Dreo gasped and said, "I've got it!" Everyone looked at him as he said, "If we can show Aang that Katara's still alive, we can bring him out of the Dark Avatar State! It's the only hope we have!" He paused and added, "It's the only hope for the world…" They let the reality of what they were about to do sink in…they were about to fly up to Aang, now the most dangerous and powerful being in the entire world, and show him that Katara had _not_ been killed by Ryu. They heard Aang roar again, and they watched as he flew towards Ryu, massive wings of fire sprouting out of his hands as he flew. Ryu roared in return and blasted a colossal inferno of black flames from his toothy maw, which Aang intercepted with his blazing wings as he swept his hands in front of him. The opposing flames exploded as they hit one another, sending a gigantic shockwave through the air. They all looked at each other, fear and determination burning bright in their eyes.

"Dreo's right," said Gregor firmly, a serious look on his face as he removed his helmet and set it down beside him. "Aang's always been there for us in our times of need." Gesturing to Katara, he boldly added, "Now we have a chance to help him in _his_ time for need. I, for one, am not about to abandon Aang to this dark fate that has been pressed upon him. This is our chance to prove to the world once more how we are all great heroes. This is our chance to not only save the world, but to save Aang from himself." They looked at Aang just as he caught a lightning bolt in his hand, sending the electricity arcing to both his hands as he created lightning whips. Aang roared as he charged at Ryu, whipping his hands around and sending the crackling energy slapping against the Emperor's flesh. The dragon roared in agonizing pain, the electricity coursing through his body as Aang mercilessly whipped him over and over again. Finally, Aang brought the whips close to himself and shot Ryu at point-blank range, sending the demon crashing to the ground. Aang roared again as he flew down and slammed into Ryu, a large plum of dust and debris shooting up into the air. They all looked back at each other, doubt beginning to seep in…but their confidence was restored when they saw the bravery in Gregor's eyes.

Gregor held out a flat hand to all of them, asking, "Are you all with me?"

They all hesitated for a moment, and then Dreo came down and put his hand on top of Gregor's. Sokka then put his hand on top, followed by Suki, Toph, Zuko, and Meigui. Sokka picked up Katara's limp hand and placed it on the very top of the pile, everyone looking deep into each other's eyes. They had all been through so much together on their journey in the past few weeks, and their bonds of friendship and family had always kept them strong. They were an unbreakable team…they were the heroes of the four nations…they were Team Avatar. Gregor nodded and firmly said, "To whatever end, my friends…to whatever end." They all nodded in grim agreement with him, knowing full well that what they were about to do could lead them all to their deaths. Their hands fell back by their sides while Gregor turned to Dreo and said, "Are you ready to do some fancy flying, little brother?" The siblings smirked at one another, their bonds of brotherhood growing ever stronger with just that one statement.

Dreo chuckled and proudly replied, "Only the best for you, big brother." He quickly jumped back onto the Sky Bison's head and said, "Hang on tight, folks! Next stop: Our destiny!" He cracked the reins and cried out, "Yip yip!" The Sky Bison roared as they flew towards Aang and Ryu, everyone watching as the epic clash between the Avatar and the Emperor of Darkness raged on.

* * *

><p>Darkness and anger ran their unending course through Aang's enraged mind, sending the Avatar over the peak of madness as he mercilessly pounded away at Ryu. In his darkened vision, a black halo surrounded his foe…this black halo indicated 'danger'. Aang shot an enormous cyclone towards Ryu, who dodged it as he spun off to the side. "<strong>Why won't you DIE?<strong>" exclaimed Ryu as he shot an massive black fireball at Aang, quadruple the size of the power that would have been bestowed upon it under the influence of Sozin's Comet. Aang shot his arms upward, tearing a humongous chunk of earth from the ground. He brought the huge slab of earth in front of him, blocking the fireball completely. Aang then kicked out with his foot, sending the massive slab flying towards Ryu. He flew in behind the slab just as Ryu punched through it, crashing into the Emperor and grabbing as the stone around them fell apart. A funnel of air erupted around Aang's feet, sending the two of them soaring high up into the air. Aang arced upwards, flipping upside down as he sped towards the river. Ryu struggled to break free, but it was of no use.

Aang swooped down to the river and dropped Ryu in, a massive plume of water erupting from the force of the Emperor's impact. Aang soared up a hundred feet into the air, watching the water fall down around where Ryu had landed. Looking up, he saw what looked like a Sky Bison flying towards him. He roared as he saw a black halo surround the beast, and he punched upwards. A colossal firestorm erupted out of his fist, the flames crackling and burning loudly as they raced up towards the Sky Bison. The flying beast roared as it veered off from the inferno, as if guided by an unseen hand. The water below Aang erupted, and the Avatar looked down to see Ryu flying up towards him. Aang quickly made fluid motions with his arms, sending the water up in a stream and grabbing Ryu's leg. The dragon roared as the liquid snaked around his body, trapping him in a large water whip. Aang wind-milled his arms, sending the serpentine stream of liquid upwards before slamming it down on the ground.

As Ryu lay crumbled and gasping for air on the ground, the water falling off around him in a large puddle, the Avatar landed thirty feet in front of him. Aang roared as he drew the water to his body, freezing it against his skin as he created spiky ice armor. His arms glowed black underneath the frozen armor, the dark light reflecting madly in the ice. He summoned the earth to his fists, creating clawed stone gauntlets and jagged rock boots. He breathed fire out of his mouth, drawing the flames on top of his bald head, creating a burning helmet that did not scorch his skin. His black eyes and head arrow glowed through the burning flames, the blackness of the glow contrasting sharply with the bright orange flames. He rose into the air on a funnel of air, giving him an air of command as he towered ten feet over the fallen Emperor. He roared as lightning struck him, the electricity coursing through the ice armor harmlessly.

Ryu looked up and saw the fearsome Avatar before, shocked by his new assets. Ryu panted and said, "**Please, Avatar! It is clearly obvious that your power is far greater than my own.**" He paused and added, "**Can we not have peace?**" It disgusted him to have to resort to pleading for his life, but the power of the Dark Avatar State was too much, even for the Dark Draconus. Aang stared darkly at the Emperor, bloodlust and want for revenge burning in his dark eyes. Soon, Aang began laughing cruelly, his dark booming voice filling the air with its horrid sound.

Aang stopped laughing and bellowed, "**WE SHALL HAVE PEACE…**" He narrowed his dark eyes as he venomously added, "**WE SHALL HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU ANSWER FOR YOUR CRIMES AGAINST THE WORLD…WE SHALL HAVE PEACE WHEN ALL OF YOUR EVIL SOLDIERS LIE DEAD ON THE BATTLEFIELD, THEIR CRUEL HEARTS CUT OUT OF THEIR CHESTS AND FED TO THE WOLF-DOGS!**" The flames on his head burned larger as he shouted, "**WE SHALL HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU ANSWER FOR YOUR TRANGRESSIONS AGAINST THE AVATAR…WE SHALL HAVE PEACE WHEN YOUR BODY BURNS IN THE DEEPEST PIT OF DEATH!**" He gathered the four elements to his hands, creating a large ball of air, water, earth, and fire. "**WE SHALL HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU DIEEEEEEE!**" He thrust forward with his hand, sending the elemental ball at the Emperor. Ryu quickly spread his wings and took off, narrowly dodging the attack as it slammed into the ground.

Aang looked up and saw the Sky Bison flying towards him again, as if driven by purpose. Aang whipped his arms around and sent a massive wind storm towards the Bison, sending the best tumbling through the air, though it managed to stay upright somehow. When the Bison was out of sight again, Aang launched himself at Ryu with blinding speed. He was a blur as he savagely attacked Ryu with his rock gauntlets at close range, brutally slashing the dragon with the sharp stone. He kept whirling around Ryu, mercilessly slashing and hacking at him the whole time. After a minute of this savagery, Aang blasted Ryu with a strong gust of wind and sent him flying almost five hundred feet. Aang roared and blasted an inferno that was almost half a mile wide at Ryu, the scorching flames spreading out maliciously. Ryu quickly righted himself in mid-air and shot a black stream of flames from his mouth, cutting Aang's firestorm in half and causing it to pass around him.

As the flames continued to burn, Aang jumped over them and roared. He began whipping his arms around, and a massive tornado descended from the sky. The funnel touched the ground and began drawing the flames to it, now creating a tornado of air and fire. Aang drew his arms up smoothly and a colossal wave of water ascended from the river, also drawing the liquid into the tornado and creating flying ice shards. Aang roared as he caused the debris from Mount Yami to rise into the air, hundreds of large boulders and chunks of earth now circling in the massive tornado. Aang made circular arm motions to generate lightning, then blasted his tornado with a jab of his fingers. The electricity arced throughout the tornado, now making the funnel even more powerful. He had created a tornado of air, water, earth, fire, and lightning. With a mighty bellow of darkness, Aang sent the tornado screaming towards Ryu.

The Emperor could only watch in stunned silence as Aang's massive attack screamed towards him, and soon he was engulfed by the deadly funnel. He was tossed about mercilessly by the wind, stabbed by the frozen shards of ice, slammed and smashed the boulders, scorched by the flames, and shocked savagely by the lightning. The funnel began to move, carrying its unfortunate prisoner with it. The brutal onslaught continued for five minutes before the funnel spat Ryu out at the top, which was three miles above the ground. Suddenly, Aang was next to him and pounced on him, sending them both down in a mad free-fall. Aang grabbed the Emperor and spun around, tossing him with a dark roar. The Emperor fell through the air quicker than the eye could see, and then he slammed into the ground with all the force of meteorite from space. A massive dust cloud erupted from the impact, but Aang quickly swept it away with a massive wind storm. Aang roared again as he flew down to continue his fight with Ryu, the dark halo burning black around his opponent.

* * *

><p>"Now what do we do?" screamed Sokka in frustration. "Every time we get close, Aang blasts us away with some super powerful attack!" The plan wasn't going well…if they didn't do something soon, Aang was going to kill Ryu and the world would end. They had seen the savagery with which the Avatar attacked the Emperor, and they knew it was only a matter of time.<p>

"I don't know…" said Zuko softly, despair seeming to creep into his voice. Aang was far too powerful to deal with at the moment. One wrong move, and they all end up dead…_very_ quickly. Suddenly, they heard a low moan from in the middle of the saddle. They all turned to see Katara slowly coming around, her body moving slightly as she regained consciousness.

"Katara!" exclaimed Sokka happily as he crawled to her side, glad to see his sister finally awake. They saw her slowly open her eyes, weariness and exhaustion on her face.

She looked around and weakly asked, "Where…where am I?"

"You're with the rest of Team Avatar on a Sky Bison that Dreo…um, _acquired_ during the main battle," replied Sokka, still smiling at his little sister. The smile fell off his face as he asked, "What do you remember? Do you remember anything from before you got knocked out?"

Katara slowly sat up and rubbed her forehead, a massive headache assaulting her. She groaned and said, "I remember…fighting Ryu…hitting him with ice…the lightning…Aang-" She stopped rubbing her forehead as he eyes went wide, and she looked up and frantically said, "Oh Spirits!" She looked at Sokka and quickly asked, "Where's Aang? Is he all right?" A sad look came over her brother's face, and her fear began rising up inside her.

"Come see for yourself," desolately replied Sokka, gesturing to the edge of the saddle that was towards the battle. Katara quickly scrambled over to the edge…and saw a sight that made her cry out in pain and sadness. She could see a battered and cut Ryu flying through the air, bleeding profusely from the many cuts on his body and wings. But it was the _thing_ chasing him that caused Katara to cry out…for that _thing_ was Aang. The Avatar was encased in spiky ice armor, sharp stone gauntlets over his head and jagged rock boots on his feet, a helmet of burning flames on his bald head, and a funnel of air sprouting from his feet as he flew. His eyes and tattoos were aglow with black light, tinged on the edge with crimson red…the color of blood.

"No…" moaned Katara, tears falling from her beautiful eyes as she realized the worst had come to pass…Aang was in the Dark Avatar State, and now he was out for Ryu's blood. She cried even harder, knowing that Aang was in so much pain because he thought she was dead. She whipped her head around to face the others and screamed, "Why haven't you guys done anything to help him? Can't you see how much he's hurting right now? You know what will happen if he kills Ryu _now_?"

"We do know!" yelled Sokka back in reply, trying his best to try and calm Katara down. "We've been trying forever to get close to him, and every time we do he just blasts us away as if we were nothing!" He could see understanding come into her tear-filled eyes, the pain she felt for Aang at the moment clear on her olive face.

"Look!" cried out Gregor, pointing to the ground below them. They all looked to see Aang throw Ryu to the ground, then create rock pillars that came up on either side of the Emperor. Six smaller rock pillars came out of the two pillars (three per pillar) and trapped Ryu's limbs and wings, holding the Emperor above the ground and trapping him. Aang stood fifty feet away from the helpless dragon, hatred and rage burning in his black eyes.

"**THIS IS FOR THE AIR NOMADS!**" screamed Aang, shooting sharp rock disc from his gauntlet at the Emperor. The disc cut through the connecting joint of Ryu's right wing, severing it from his body. Ryu roared in pain, his horrible cries filling air. Katara sobbed at the sight, grief taking hold of her heart. This was not her Aang, the kind-hearted and loving man that she had known for ten years. This was the terrible beast within in the Avatar Spirit, the true manifestation of darkness and death. "**THIS IS FOR THREATENING THE PEACE AND BALANCE OF THE WORLD!**" bellowed Aang as he shot another sharp rock disc, severing the other wing from Ryu's body. The Emperor roared in pain again, his sharp dragon cries filling their ears with agony. "**THIS IS FOR KATARA!**" roared Aang, but this time he did not shoot a rock disc.

What he _did_ do filled Team Avatar's hearts with fear and terror.

Aang roared as he summoned a massive tornado to his left, several large boulders in front of him, a giant wave on his right, and an inferno from his mouth. The four elements began to slowly rise above the Avatar and the Emperor, and Katara screamed, "Get us down there now!" Dreo looked at her with surprise, and she yelled, "NOW!" The monk quickly obliged and brought them down closer to the ground, landing just a ways away from the carnage (far enough away to be safe). They quickly jumped off the Sky Bison and began running towards Aang, desperate to stop him before he killed Ryu and destroyed the world. _Spirits, don't let me be too late_, pleadingly prayed Katara as she ran, tears running down her face.

* * *

><p>Aang could feel the power all around him, the four elements gathered above him and ready to drop on the Emperor at any moment. All he could see was darkness, the shadow of death around him as it enveloped his mind. He had entered the eternal twilight of the Dark Avatar State, and the sight of the wounded and battered Ryu in front of him pleased his dark power to no end. The black halo around Ryu glowed weakly, his life force slowly ebbing out of him like blood from a wound. Soon his dark vengeance will be fulfilled…soon he will spread darkness across the world…soon he will destroy the world! Aang roared again, ready to end Ryu's pathetic life. Suddenly, a voice cut through the air, shooting straight into the Avatar's mind. "Aang!" cried out the voice, causing him to look over at his right with enraged eyes. He could see several black halos running towards him, more danger to come and try to harm him. But before he could turn on them, he saw something that stopped him…<p>

He saw a white halo running with the other black halos, the first speck of light Aang had seen since the Dark Avatar State had been triggered. It was if an angel had descended from above, appearing now in his time of greatest need. As the white halo came closer, he saw a face…a face he had known for many years…a face he had seen countless times and couldn't get enough of…a face he had come to love with all his being…a face that had been taken from him…a face that had been brought back to life…the face of…Katara. Aang's darkened eyes widened with surprise, shock and disbelief filling his mind. It was impossible…but there she was, staring at him with deep blue eyes, eyes filled with pain, with sadness, with fear…with love. As he stared at her angelic face, he felt the darkness within him shatter. "**KATARA…**" he said softly, his voice loud enough to carry over to the rest of Team Avatar. As she heard him say her name, she smiled at him, a soft and gentle smile that was full of love.

The dark storm clouds above them parted in just one spot, a beam of sunlight breaking through the thick cloud cover. The ray of light shone down from the heavens and onto Katara, intensifying the white halo around her. The darkness within Aang fell away, for he felt something at that moment, something that the Dark Avatar State did not like…hope. Aang slowly landed on the ground, the funnel of air vanished as he alighted on the earth. The stone gauntlets and the rock boots fell apart, and his helmet of fire was snuffed out. His ice armor melted off of him, falling in a puddle around him. The tornado disintegrated, the boulders dropped to the ground with a heavy _THUD!_, the water fell back into the river, and the inferno vanished completely. The dark storm clouds broke away completely, filling the landscape around them with bright sunlight. Ryu was dropped to the ground as his earthen prison was shattered, lying still for a few moments before stirring. The black glow of the Dark Avatar State faded away, leaving his eyes and tattoos in their normal condition.

"Yeah! We did it!" cried out Sokka joyfully, causing Team Avatar to burst into cheers of happiness and mighty hugs. But Aang did not see them celebrate their victory over the Dark Avatar State…he saw only Katara, the love of his lifetime. He could see only her, the saving light that had lifted his darkness…the candle that had blown the twilight of his anger and rage away. He stared at her, taking in every detail…her loving blue eyes, filled with tears of happiness and affection…her rich olive skin, soft to the touch…her long, dark brown hair that flowed down her back, and her hair loopies. He loved everything about her, and he wanted nothing more than to rush over to her arms, to kiss her all over and tell her how much he loves her…but he looked over at Ryu and saw him standing up. Aang looked over at Katara, and he realized something…

_I still have to stop Ryu_, he thought to himself. _He still has the power of the Dark Draconus, and I'm the only one who can stop him…I have to take his bending away, just like I did with Ozai…but the energy will be too much and…we'll both die…_ Firmness took hold of his heart, a serious look coming over his face. Katara looked at him with surprise, confusion in her eyes as the others stopped cheering and looked at him. _No…I know what I have to do…I have to sacrifice myself to save the world…I have to protect the four nations…my friends…Katara and Tenzin…I have to give myself up so they all can live._ He slowly turned to face Ryu, courage in his heart as he looked at the Emperor of Darkness.

Ryu chuckled darkly and said, "**Now you are without the power of the Dark Avatar State…now I can easily kill you!**" He roared as he drew back a fist, black flames burning on his fingers. Time seemed to slow down, and Aang looked over at Katara. She could see the sadness in his eyes, which were full of regret and sorrow and love. She knew that look…it was the look of deadly seriousness, the look of which only martyrs have at their moment of truth. Her mouth fell open as tears fell down her face, realizing what he was about to do. Aang closed his eyes and turned his head towards Ryu, preparing himself for what was to come. He drew in a deep breath, summoning the willpower inside of him.

His last thought was: _I'm sorry, Katara…I love you_.

He snapped his eyes open, which burst to life with pure white light. His tattoos began to glow the same white light as his eyes…the white light of the Avatar State. He deflected the fireball that Ryu had shot at him, and the Emperor exclaimed, "**The normal Avatar State!**" He laughed and said, "**It doesn't matter! I'll still kill you!**" Before he could throw another punch, he felt his arms and legs become trapped. Snarling, he looked down and saw that his limbs had become encased with stone. He snapped his head back up, only to have a hand placed on his forehead and another on his chest. Ryu was suddenly frozen, seeing the Avatar in front of him but unable to slay him as he was held down. Aang looked up, and white light shot out of his eyes and mouth, filling the sky with the blinding light. Black light poured out of Ryu's eyes and mouth, and the two opposing colors filled the sky.

As Aang sought to control Ryu's dark energy, he heard the words of the Lion-Turtle ring in his head: _The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning-less time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light._ Only know did Aang truly understand the Lion-Turtle's words…he understood his duty as the Avatar, how he had to give selflessly of himself to protect the balance of the world…the balance that Ryu was threatening with his darkness. He was not lost in his own mind…rather, he clearly saw the path he had to take before him.

As the positive energy of the Avatar State clashed with the negative energy of the Dark Draconus, dozens of memories flashed before his eyes: living with the Air Nomads before The War, learning he was the Avatar, running away and becoming trapped in the iceberg, being freed by Katara, traveling with the world with her and Sokka, meeting the friends they made along the way, learning the other elements, the Siege of the Northern Water Tribe, his death in Ba Sing Se, reawakening and entering the Fire Nation, invading the Capital after he had kissed Katara for the first time, their defeat and retreat, Zuko joining them, and then the final battle with Ozai, his victory over the Fire Lord, the restoration of peace to the world and the end of The War, beginning his romantic relationship with Katara in Ba Sing Se with their passionate kiss outside Iroh's tea shop.

He thought of Katara…how they had come to love each other over the years, being with her, growing up with her, proposing to her, marrying her, making love to her, helping her with the pregnancy, being there for her when she gave birth to Tenzin…all he could think of was her. As a ball of black and white light surrounded Aang and Ryu, a tear rolled out of Aang's glowing eyes. He could feel their energies intermingling, destroying each other's bodies and spirits with overwhelming power. Light and darkness came together as one, and all faded away in an instant. The black and white ball disappeared, the sky returning to its normal color as Team Avatar looked on in stunned silence. No one moved for what seemed like a lifetime, staring at the vacant space where Aang and Ryu had been just moments before.

Katara took four uneasy steps forward, shaking as she cried out, "Aang!" Her voice echoed throughout the plain, mocking her by not responding to her cry. Tears rolled down her face as she screamed, "AANG!" Only silence answered her, and the realization hit her…Aang, the love of her life, was dead. He was gone, body and spirit, along with Ryu. "No!" she screamed in agony, tears of sorrow cascading down her face. "You can't be dead! You just can't…" Her voice faltered as she fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably into her hands as she poured her grief out. The rest of Team Avatar began to cry as well, tears falling from their eyes as they realized that Aang was gone…forever.

The sounds of the main battle no longer filled the sky with their horrid noises of war, and, through his grief, Gregor said, "The battle has stopped…perhaps the Dark Legion has surrendered…probably after seeing…" He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone knew that he was talking about Aang. He walked up behind Katara and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him with mournful eyes. "Come on…" he said softly, offering a hand to her. "There will be time to grieve later…I promise." Katara hesitated for a moment, and then took his hand. Gregor helped Katara to her feet, tears shining in his golden eyes. They all began walking back to their Sky Bison, their hearts heavy with grief and sorrow.

Sokka took hold of his sister's hand, lending his comfort and support to her. She let out a choked sob and buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing as they walked on. _Aang…_ she thought miserably to herself, her grief over Aang's death overwhelming her soul as she continued to cry. They all boarded the Bison and flew in silence back to the battlefield, united in their grief and mourning for the loss of Aang.


	21. Chapter Twenty: Dawn of a New Age

This is it...the third and final part of my finale. This is the end of the journey, my friends. Everything has lead up to his glorious moment in my epic fanfic story. I want to personally thank all those who have read and supported my work. Without my loyal readers, my dream of being a fan fiction writer for this awesome show would not have come true. It's been an incredible journey, and I have enjoyed every single moment of it. As always...enjoy, read, and review!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Chapter Twenty: Dawn of a New Age**

Silence…silence…all Aang could hear…was silence…the sound of nothing moving, breathing, or living…nothing. Looking around, all he saw was white, a blank canvas of eternity. He stood on what seemed to be solid ground, but looking down he saw nothing still. Looking back up, he began walking. He had no destination in mind, but his legs seemed to carry him with a purpose in mind. Strangely, he was not afraid of the nothingness around him…rather, he was completely at peace. He was still bare except for his black pants, his bare feet not making a sound as he walked on.

He jumped as a gravelly voice behind him said, "Hello, Aang." The Avatar whipped around to see Roku standing there, having appeared out of nowhere. Roku chuckled and said, "It's good to see you again…though I didn't expect our next meeting to be under these circumstances." Aang thought of the events that had occurred: his fight with Ryu, Katara being blown away by Ryu's lightning, entering the Dark Avatar State and fighting Ryu…seeing Katara alive and his Energybending battle with Ryu.

The realization slowly came to him as he asked, "I'm dead…aren't I?" Roku simply nodded, his bright amber eyes focused on Aang. The young monk looked down, letting the fact that he was no longer alive sink into his mind. Suddenly remembering his opponent, Aang looked up and asked, "Where's Ryu? Is he dead too?"

Roku nodded grimly and replied, "Yes, although his body and spirit underwent a far greater destruction than your own. The negative energy of the Dark Draconus backfired on Ryu during your Energybending battle, obliterating him completely. Ryu is gone forever, never to return to either the mortal world or the Spirit World. You have defeated the Emperor of Darkness and saved the world from the threatening shadow of the Dark Legion…though at a very high cost." Aang's eyes widened as he realized his terrible mistake, and panic set into his soul.

"Oh monkey-feathers!" he exclaimed fearfully, gripping the sides of his head with frantic hands. "I died when I was in the Avatar State!" he shouted, the arrows on his hands and head pointing to the culprit of his fatal error. He began furiously pacing back and forth, muttering, "No no no no no no no! The Avatar Cycle ended because of _me_! This can't be happening…this can't be happening…this can't be happening!"

Roku chuckled at Aang's panic and gently said, "Aang, calm down-"

Aang spun to face Roku, flinging his arms out to the side as he yelled, "How can I calm down?" Putting a hand on his chest, he added, "The line of Avatars has ended because of _me_! I'm the reason why I've doomed the world to be without the Avatar!" Putting his hands back on his head, he resumed his pacing and said, "This is bad…this is _really_ bad!"

"Aang," said Roku firmly, causing the frantic monk to stop and look at him. "The only way that I can communicate with you at all is if the Avatar Cycle has not been broken." Gesturing to himself, he added, "Since I am clearly here, it should be quite obvious to you that the Cycle is very much intact." Motioning with a hand towards Aang, he said, "What I meant by a very high cost was that you gave your life to stop Ryu."

"Oh," said Aang, understanding what Roku was saying. A confused look came over his face as he dropped his arms by his side and he asked, "Wait…then how is the Avatar Cycle not ended even though I died while I was in the Avatar State?"

Roku chuckled and replied, "That is something someone much wiser than I must answer. Actually, it is a past life of yours who's been waiting to meet you for a long time. He has something to say to you." Roku looked behind Aang, as if there were someone standing behind him. Aang looked behind and jumped when he saw a man standing there, staring at the young monk with green eyes. The man had a helmet on, which was shaped to look like a Badger-mole. He had metal plates that covered his arms, giving them the impression of the arms of a Badger-mole. The plates ended in claws that rested on his knuckles, sharp steel devices were engraved with the symbol of Earthbending. He had a large brown beard, which extended down to his chest, and large sideburns that connected to the beard. His armor was gold and green in color, the symbol of the Earth Kingdom on his chest plate. He was at least six feet tall, towering over Aang like a giant.

The man bowed to Aang and said in a bold voice, "Greetings, Avatar Aang. I am Avatar Chi Fu, the first Avatar who first encountered the Dark Avatar State four thousand years ago." As he came out of his bow, he said, "You are the second in the long line of Avatars who has experienced this dark and terrible power firsthand." Raising an eyebrow, he added, "I'm rather surprised that we are the only two Avatars to have gone into the Dark Avatar State, even though we are four thousand years apart." Lowering his eyebrow, he said, "I'm sure Roku has told you all about how I created the Si Wong Desert when I went into the Dark Avatar State after my wife and young son were killed by an assassin."

"Yes, he has," replied Aang, staring up at Chi Fu with awe and amazement in his gray eyes. "I felt the power and ferocity of the Dark Avatar State as I fought Ryu…it was incredible…I did things that I never even thought possible. I even picked up a mountain that was two miles high and threw it down from almost a mile up in the air!"

Chi Fu's eyes briefly widened as he said, "That is certainly impressive indeed." His eyes returned to normal and he said, "But I do know the reason why you entered the Dark Avatar State. You thought your wife, Katara, had died while she fought to protect you from Ryu." Aang looked down at his feet as he remembered Katara, knowing that he could never be with her again. Chi Fu kindly smiled and said, "I can feel the love you have for Katara, and I know that this must be hard for you."

"It's very hard…" whispered Aang sadly as he looked back at up at Chi Fu, sorrow in his gray eyes. "I love Katara with my whole heart…but I knew that I had to do my duty as the Avatar to protect the world…even if it meant giving my life for the ones I love."

Chi Fu nodded sagely and said, "That is very wise of you, Aang. You have wisdom and knowledge that reaches beyond your young years, for you became very mature due to the Hundred Years' War." He paused and said, "But I haven't come to talk about our experiences with the Dark Avatar State, though what I have to say does concern it."

"What are you talking about, Chi Fu?" asked Aang, clearly confused by what the Earth Kingdom Avatar was saying.

"Both of us know that the Dark Avatar State is triggered by feelings of extreme grief, sadness, and anger, as well as a lust for revenge," said Chi Fu. "When something so traumatic happens that causes their powerful negative emotions to develop, the Dark Avatar State is triggered. Because you had thought Katara had died, you went into the Dark Avatar State and sought to kill Ryu for what you thought he had done." He paused and said, "However, something happened when you saw that Katara was alive. Describe to me what happened when you saw her…what did you feel?"

Aang was silent for a few moments as he thought hard, thinking of what had happened when the sight of Katara had been brought out of the Dark Avatar State. He said, "It felt like…like the darkness inside of me just broke, shattered beyond all repair…I felt a light shine bright within me, driving the shadow of the Dark Avatar State out of my soul…completely chased it away, never to return to my body or...or even the Avatar Spirit." Aang gasped as he realized what had happened; the sight of Katara had brought a light to his soul that had gotten rid of the Dark Avatar State, but he felt there was more to it. He looked up at Chi Fu and asked, "Do you know what happened?"

"I do," said Chi Fu happily, a smile on his hard face. "When you saw Katara, it brought hope to your soul. That hope is what drove away the Dark Avatar State, which feeds off grief and despair. Because you were able to grab onto that hope and bring light back into your soul, you destroyed the hold the Dark Avatar State had on the Avatar Spirit. When you destroyed the Dark Avatar State's power, the Avatar Spirit was reborn, preventing the Cycle from being broken when you died in the Avatar State." With a proud smile on his face, he said, "Not only have you saved the world from the tyranny of Ryu and his Dark Legion, but you also saved the Avatar Spirit from the corrupt and terrible power of the Dark Avatar State, freeing every future life of the Avatar from its dark power. " Aang couldn't help but beam with pride at the ancient Avatar, a large smile plastered on his young face. Through his actions, he had destroyed the Dark Avatar State, a fact that he would be forever proud of.

"Aang," said Roku, causing the young monk to look at him. "Through your selfless sacrifice, you have demonstrated the qualities of a true Avatar. For that reason, and for destroying the Dark Avatar State, all of your past lives will grant you rebirth into the mortal world."

A confused look came over Aang's face as he said, "But if I'm reincarnated as the next Avatar, I'll just be born into the Water Tribes. I won't be the same person I was before…the Cycle will just continue, with water being next in line.

Roku smiled and said, "Not reincarnation, Aang…_rebirth_. You will be brought back into the mortal world exactly the way you were when you died, and you will still have all your memories. It will be as if you came back from the dead, and your friends will instantly recognize you."

"The world still needs you, kid," said a gruff voice to Aang's right. Aang looked over to see Avatar Kuruk standing there. "I'm proud of you for your decisive actions in the world's greatest time of need. You've shown an initiative that I could have only dreamed of when I was the Avatar." He chuckled and added, "But we're only human. No Avatar is perfect, for we are the manifestation of the mortal world, flaws and all."

"You must never forget who you are and what your duty to the world is," said a serious female voice on Aang's left. He looked over to see Avatar Kyoshi standing there. "You can never lose sight of that, for it makes us who we are. You must always do what is right to protect the four nations. Just as the four elements balance out the Avatar, so must the Avatar bring balance to the whole world."

"Live life to the fullest," said a soothing voice from in front of Aang. He looked to see Avatar Yangchen standing by Roku. "Live for the good times and the bad times, for happiness and sadness go hand-in-hand just as Yin and Yang do. Keep close to you those you hold dear and love with all your heart. Love is one of the greatest treasures in the life of the Avatar, for it completes us by showing us the true emotions of humans. Keep Katara in your heart for as long as you live, and never let your love for her, and your love for the children you will have with her, fade away." Soon, tens of thousands of people began appearing around Aang, encircling him as they continued to materialize. Aang realized that these people were all his past lives, showing their support for him and preparing to send him back.

"We are all proud of you, Aang," said Roku, a smile on his weathered face. "You are truly the greatest Avatar out of all of us. There has never been an Avatar like you in the history of the world, nor will there ever be again. You are the purest manifestation of the Avatar Spirit, and all of your past lives are honored that you inherited the legacy of the Avatar." Aang felt tears in his eyes as he listened to Roku's heart-felt praise, pride welling up in his soul as he smiled. Roku and Yangchen parted in front of him, as did the Avatars behind them. When they all cleared away, a path ran in between them, stretching on into the great white yonder. "Keep running until you reach the end of your past lives, and when you step out of the circle of your past lives, you will be reborn into the mortal world and your life will be restored," instructed Roku, happiness burning in his bright amber eyes.

Aang looked around with tear-filled eyes at his past lives and joyfully said, "Thank you…all of you. This is the greatest gift you could have ever given me." He wiped away his tears, determined not to cry in front of his past lives. Many of them chuckled, much to his embarrassment. Aang looked at Roku and said, "Thank you, Roku. I honestly can't thank you enough for this."

Roku chuckled and said, "Go in peace, Avatar Aang. May your life be full of happiness and peace, and may your love for Katara grow ever stronger throughout the years." He paused and added, "You may not know it yet, but you will do something that will bring the four nations even closer than you have now." Seeing the questioning look on Aang's face, he said, "But you will know what it is when the time comes." Gesturing to the road to rebirth, he said, "Now go. The world is awaiting your return."

Aang looked down the long road and took in a deep breath, ready to be reborn. "I'm coming, Katara," he said happily, a smile on his face as he ran past Roku and Yangchen. He ran for several minutes, his past lives staring at him as he ran on. Soon, he came to the end of the Avatars, and his vision went blank.

* * *

><p>Back in the mortal world, a week had passed since the deaths of Aang and Ryu. The Dark Legion had surrendered when they saw Mount Yami lift into the air and then come crashing down, fearing that the Avatar would turn his power on them after he had defeated their leader. Those who refused to surrender and fought on were killed on the spot, while the rest were taken prisoner by the Fellowship of Nations. The casualties were heavy on both sides: The Fellowship of Nations lost twenty-five thousand warriors, fifteen thousand benders, three thousand tanks and cavalry, and seven hundred Sky Bison and their Air Nomad pilots, while the Dark Legion lost almost thirty-eight thousand warriors and thirty thousand benders out of their force of a hundred and twenty thousand.<p>

The bodies were collected over the next week and given a proper burial, while efforts were made to search for the Avatar…though their searches were always in vain, but hope had driven them on. After a week, the Fellowship of Nations had torn down their tents and were preparing to depart, but at first light on the seventh day a ceremony for the dead was held on the same hill that had been the site of their command tent. The leaders of the four nations stood on top of the hill, along with all the members of the Order of the White Lotus as well as Team Avatar (Hakoda had brought Mai, Sun Tzu, Ursa, and Tenzin back after they got word that the battle was over). They all stood looking out at what was left of their massive army, all four nations gathered to pay their respects to the fallen. A somber and mournful mood was heavy over the crowd, not a single smile in the massive crowd.

Sokka stood holding Suki's hand, the two warriors looking sadly down at the crowd. Toph and Dreo were doing the same thing, tears in the blind Earthbender's pale eyes. Mai was holding Sun Tzu, the young Prince quiet in her arms as she held him. Ursa was over by Gregor and Meigui, sad looks on all their faces. Gregor and Meigui were holding hands, trying to comfort one another. Meigui's scar had gone pale after the bleeding had stop, leaving a permanent white 'X' on her face. Zuko stood at the precipice of the hill, ready to deliver his speech to the crowd below. Katara stood holding Tenzin in her arms, the tears already flowing down her face as she quietly cried. She was taking Aang's death the hardest, for she had gone into a depressive state after he died. She tried to stay strong for her baby boy, but not even the bubbly Tenzin could bring a smile to her face. It felt as if someone had torn a hole in her heart, taking a piece of Aang with it.

Zuko looked sadly over the crowd and said in a loud voice, "My friends…today, we are gathered here to pay our final respects to all of our brothers and sisters who fell fighting the Dark Legion just a week ago. We lost many of our brave soldiers on the field of battle, but their memory will forever live on in our hearts." He paused and said, "But there is someone who I think we should pay the most tribute to. In the final battle with the Emperor of Darkness, Avatar Aang gave his life to protect the world from the evil of the Dark Legion. Many of you already knew who Aang was because of what he has done for the world for the past ten years…but to those who were his closest friends, such as myself, the loss is even larger than anyone else can imagine."

"Aang was a true friend to us all," continued Zuko. "He was the most kind-hearted and honest man that I knew, and I am proud to have been his friend…we all are honored to have known Aang…he was always cheerful, never got angry or spiteful on a whim, goofy, happy, funny, loving, loyal…the most perfect friend that any of you can imagine. He has gone through many hardships in his lifetime, from the loss of his nation to saving the world from the Hundred Years' War…but there was also happiness in his life, from his loving friends to the restoration of his people…and his marriage to Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." Katara let out a choked sob, and Zuko felt his heart twinge with pain for her. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at speeches, despite my public office as the Fire Lord, and I would like to wrap up by asking Aang's wife to come up and say a few final words about him." Zuko looked back at Katara, his amber eyes asking for her permission. Her gaze met his and she nodded, walking over towards Sokka.

The baby whined softly as he was handed over into his uncle's arms, and Katara whispered, "Shh. Mommy will be right back." She kissed Tenzin on the head, calming him instantly. She looked at her brother, his love and support for her shining in his eyes. With a final glance at Sokka, Katara turned and walked up to Zuko.

When she got up to Zuko, he stopped her briefly and softly said, "I…I have something that I think you might want..." As he brought the object out of his robe, he said, "Our search parties found this when they were searching for Aang…I thought you might like to have it." He put the object in her hands, and her tears fell when she saw that the object was Aang's wooden medallion with the symbol of Airbending carved on it.

She threw her arms around Zuko and whispered, "Thank you…" The Fire Lord hugged her back, and the two parted. Still holding the medallion in her hands, she stepped towards the precipice as Zuko took his spot just behind her. Katara looked up at the crowd and said, "My husband was the most courageous man I knew, and I am happy that he was the love of my life. I loved everything about him…and the road ahead will be hard without him by my side. I only wish that he were here to see the goodness that has come out of this horrible conflict, how the light of the four nations pushed away the shadow of the Dark Legion." She paused as she let out a choked sob and said, "I would like to sing a song that General Iroh of the Fire Nation taught me…he sings it in memory of his son, Lu Ten…I will now sing it in memory of all those who died fighting the Dark Legion…and in memory of Aang." She took in a shaky breath as she held the medallion closer to her, wanting to feel as close to Aang as she could now that he was gone. Soon, her melodic and angelic voice rang out over the crowd as she sang:

_Leaves from the vine…_

_Falling so slow…_

_Like fragile, tiny shells…_

_Drifting in the foam…_

_Little, soldier boy…_

_Comes marching home…_

_Brave, soldier boy…_

She couldn't say the last line as she began sobbing, her grief overwhelming her mind as she thought of Aang. He was gone forever, never to return to her arms. She would never see him again, and her heart became crushed as the reality crashed into her mind for the hundredth time that week. She closed her eyes and held her head down, sobbing uncontrollably as she mourned for the man she loved more than life itself.

Suddenly, a deeper voice cut through the air, singing:

_Comes marching home…_

Katara's eyes shot open as she looked up, realizing that it wasn't her who had sung that last line. The crowd below her looked around in confusion, trying to find out who the mysterious voice belonged to. Katara watched as they saw heads turning towards the horizon behind, where they saw a figure walking towards them. "Look!" cried a soldier in the back, causing everyone to look where he pointed. Katara squinted to get a better look at the figure, who was bare except for a pair of black pants. He was well-built, muscular from the bending powers that he had deep inside. Katara's eyes widened as she saw the figure come into view…

It was Aang.

He stood smiling on the edge of the crowd, and a soldier cried out, "It's the Avatar! He's alive!" The crowd cheered as one, their loud rejoicing echoing in the morning air. The leaders of the nations smiled at the sight of Aang, happiness in their eyes. The Order of the White Lotus clapped energetically while Team Avatar burst into cheers and cries of joy. The sadness that had fallen over the Fellowship of Nations was completely gone, replaced by sheer happiness and elation. Katara cried again, but not out of sadness…but out of the overpowering gladness that flooded into her soul. She realized that it was Aang who had sung the last line, and her heart filled with joyous laughter. All she could stare at was him, and she could see him staring back at her.

She saw him speak two words, the wind carrying his words towards her. The wind caressed her ears, saying, "Hi Katara." Just hearing his voice caused her to smile, pure love springing up in her soul.

The soldiers began to rush over to greet Aang, and Zuko happily exclaimed, "Soldiers! Hold for a moment!" As the crowd looked up at him, he added, "I think there is one among us who wishes to see him the most right now." The soldiers chuckled and nodded in understanding, and Zuko said, "Go, Katara." The Waterbender looked back in surprise, and the Fire Lord said, "Go to him."

She gasped and asked, "Really?" Zuko smiled, gesturing for her to rush to Aang. She smiled at him and breathlessly said, "Thank you." Looking over at Sokka, she happily said, "Come on, Sokka! Bring Tenzin with you!"

She began running down the hill as Sokka said, "What? Why do I have to carry Tenzin? He's a messy, snotty, drooling…" His voice faltered as he looked at Tenzin, the baby looking up at him with innocent gray eyes. Sokka chuckled as he smiled and said, "Ahh, who am I kidding? You're too cute to resist. Now let's go see Daddy!" Tenzin happily cooed, as if he knew that his Daddy had returned. Sokka followed Katara down the hill, though taking greater care due to the little bundle of joy in his arms.

Katara made it to the bottom of the hill and ran as fast as she could, the medallion swinging around in her left hand as she ran. Aang, on the other hand, took his time, just enjoying looking at her as he walked through the crowd. Katara ran with all her might, dying to be in Aang's arms again. After almost a minute, they drew near each other. Katara cried out with joy as she jumped into Aang's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He caught her by the waist, a big smile on his lips. The two of them closed their eyes and crashed their lips together, eliciting a huge cheer of approval from the crowd around them. Aang and Katara kissed passionately, only knowing each other in those precious moments.

After several long seconds, they parted lips and stared at each other, their foreheads intimately touching. Tears of joy fell down both of their faces, thrilled to be in each other's arms again as they smiled at one another. "I thought you were gone forever…" she whispered, her face overflowing with tears.

"I was gone…" he said softly, "…but now I'm back, and I promise that I will never leave you like that again."

Katara chuckled and said teasingly, "You better not or I'll- mmph!" She was cut off as Aang kissed her fully on lips again, but she smiled as she eagerly returned the kiss. The crowd cheered its approval again, their loud voices filling their ears. As they separated, Katara smiled and playfully said, "No fair."

"I always know how to make you smile," he happily replied with a wink. Katara chuckled as Aang set her down, unwrapping her vice-grips legs from his waist. He looked at her left hand and said, "My wooden medallion! I thought I lost it during my battle with Ryu."

As Katara placed the medallion around Aang's neck, she said, "The search parties found it when they were looking for. Zuko actually gave this to me before you showed up." She raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "Just how did you get back anyway?"

"I'll explain it to the whole crowd," he replied, and he saw a satisfied look come across her face. Looking behind her, he smiled and said, "Now look who's coming." Katara looked behind them to see Sokka quickly making his way towards them, little Tenzin still in his arms.

Sokka finally got to them and said, "Aang! Good to see you among the living again!" He gently handed Tenzin to Katara as he said with a wink, "Special delivery for Mr. and Mrs. Avatar." The two parents smiled and blushed as they looked down at their son, the baby babbling incessantly as his tiny fingers reached for Aang.

Aang chuckled and said softly, "Hey Tenzin. Daddy's back, and he's never going to leave you again." He rubbed his nose in Tenzin's hair, causing his son to giggle slightly. Katara beamed with joy at her husband, kissing the back of his head as he nuzzled Tenzin. After he was done nuzzling, Aang leaned back and said, "Now let's go see the others. I have a feeling they'll be wanting to see me." Katara and Sokka chuckled, and the three of them made their way back to the top of the hill. Once they made it to the top, Aang was caught in a huge group hug by the rest of Team Avatar, Katara and Sokka laughing the whole time. Everyone heartily welcomed Aang back, large smiles on all their faces.

Aang and Katara, along with Tenzin, turned to the crowd. In a loud voice, Aang said, "I know you're all happy to see me again." This elicited a huge cheer from the crowd, which Aang quieted down his hand. "The reason I've returned is because my past lives saw me as being worthy of rebirth into this world for my selfless sacrifice, and for aiding the Avatar Spirit in a grave matter. But it gives me pleasure to say that the Avatar Cycle will continue on, and I will still be here for years to come." He paused and added, "But this day doesn't belong to me…it belongs to all of you. Because of your valiant efforts, we have restored peace to the world once more. Now, for generations to come, the world will remember what we did here in our time. They will remember how four nations came together as one to fight against the ultimate shadow of evil. It is with great honor that I say that I am _proud_ to be your Avatar…and now, let us build an everlasting peace _together_!"

The crowd cheered loudly, chanting "Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang!" over and over again. The leaders of the nations and the Order of the White Lotus clapped approvingly, while Team Avatar cheered joyfully. Aang and Katara faced each other and kissed deeply, holding Tenzin in between them. The Avatar and the Waterbender were forever united in their love, which had grown infinitely stronger after the climactic Battle of Mount Yami. The world was in peace and happiness again, and they would all face the future…together as one.


	22. Epilogue: The Avatar Spirit Reborn

SURPRISE! :D You really thought it was all over, didn't you? Well, it isn't! But seriously, this time I'm serious. This is the final chapter of Book 4: Air. This story has been my personal project for almost four months, and now it's coming to an end. :( But this has been the best adventure of writing fan fiction that I have ever taken. Thank you, everyone, for reading and loving my story! I have an idea for another story in mind, something much more relaxed than this. But you'll see what it is when I publish it. ;) Now...let us complete this epic journey of ours, and let this fan fiction story remain in your hearts.

****DISCLAIMER:** **I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

**Epilogue: The Avatar Spirit Reborn**

_44 Years Later_

Aang lay in the bed, feeling the life force slowly ebb out of him. A blanket covered his chest and the white robe that he wore, a white as pure as the light of the Avatar State. His human spirit was tired, so very tired. He looked up around him and saw his oldest and dearest friends gathered around him; he saw Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki, Zuko, Gregor, Meigui, and Dreo looking sadly down upon the elderly Avatar. Katara was sitting next to him, their fingers interlaced with one another. They had known this day was coming for many years, but now that it was here…it was hard to believe.

Aang sighed weakly and said, "I know that my time is coming soon, but I want you all to know…you've all given me the best lifetime an Avatar could ask for." He looked at Sokka, chuckled and said, "We certainly did have some crazy adventures, didn't we my old friend?"

Sokka smiled and said, "Yes we did." Taking Aang's other hand, he said, "It's been the greatest honor to have known you, Aang, and it's not because you're the Avatar. You've been the greatest friend ever since the day we met, and I am extremely _proud_ to call you not only my friend…but my brother as well."

The two men nodded at each other and Sokka let go of Aang's hand, letting the Avatar continue his final goodbyes. Aang turned to Toph and said, "I guess this is it, Sifu Toph. Thank you for everything…you've been a great friend, and I'll never forget you."

Toph smiled and said, "You too, Twinkle Toes." She playfully punched his shoulder one last time and said, "I'll still be around to knock some sense into your next life…probably." They all laughed lightly at that, and the Avatar turned to the Kyoshi warrior.

"We'll miss you, Aang," said Suki, tears forming in her eyes. Aang smiled kindly at her, but she could see the sadness in his gray eyes. She let out a choked sob, a tear falling down her face. Sokka took her hand, and Suki leaned her head against her husband's shoulder.

Turning to Zuko, he said, "Zuko, my old friend…Roku would be so very proud of you, and I'm glad we were friends." He smiled and added, "Sifu Hotman."

The Fire Lord chuckled and replied, "I'll allow you this one time, Aang…you deserve it." He paused and added, "I'll never forget all we've been through…how you all have helped me, especially you Aang." The Avatar nodded and turned to smile at Gregor, Meigui, and Dreo. The three of them remained silent as they smiled back at Aang, wanting him to say his final goodbyes to his oldest friends.

Finally, Aang looked over to his right and said, "And last, but most certainly not least…Katara, you have been the greatest friend and wife to me, and I would never have changed anything that happened between us. Thank you for being the love of my life, the wonderful mother of our children, and my eternal soul mate…thank you for being my forever girl…I love you." Katara smiled at him, tears falling down her face as she looked at Aang. He could see sadness and pain in those magnificent blue eyes of hers, but also love and affection.

"Aang," she said, "now it's my turn to thank you…you've been the greatest best friend a girl could ask for, and the most loving husband and father of our four children. Thank you for being my eternal love, for being my bonded soul mate, for being my Avatar…for being _my_ Aang…I love you too." Husband and wife kissed each other on the lips one last time, timeless love passing in between their souls. They leaned back from the kiss and stared at each other, loving smiles on their elderly faces.

Aang laid his head on the pillow, knowing that his time was near. He thought back on his life, and he felt no regret in his heart…he was truly at peace with himself. He would never forget all he had been through in his lifetime, and he would never forget the wonderful friends he had made. But the Cycle must continue, the Spirit must move on. Aang closed his eyes, smiling as he felt a dark cloud overtake him. He saw a light at the end of a tunnel, and standing at the end of it was Avatar Roku. His past life smiled at him and beckoned him to go through the light, and Aang followed Roku into the light of eternity. His breathing slowed until it stop completely, and his heart stopped its rhythmic march of life.

Avatar Aang was dead.

As Aang's friends wept over his death, two invisible spirits rose from the dead Avatar. The first was Aang himself, a blue ethereal spirit of him when he was about thirty-five years old. Aang smiled sadly down at his weeping friends, and then vanished to journey to the Spirit World for his eternal rest. The second was the Avatar Spirit, a ball of white, blue, green, and red swirling light. The Spirit looked down at the previous Avatar's friends and became sad, for it had seen this mournful sight tens of thousands of times before. But where there is death, there is also life, and the Cycle must continue. The Spirit knew that water was next in the cycle, and it sped towards the South Pole with impossible speed, feeling a strong presence there.

As it flew over the great frozen metropolis of the South Pole, the Spirit looked down at the tiny lights that were being born into the world. They all burned too dim to be worthy of carrying the Spirit, but finally the Spirit found a bright light inside an ice home. The Spirit dived in and took human form, crying loudly as it came into the world. A woman picked up the screaming newborn and cleaned it off, looking down and happily saying to the mother, "It's a girl." The woman cleaned off the baby as it settled down and swaddled her in a blue cloth, gently handing the baby to her mother.

The mother looked down at her baby in her arms, smiling as she looked into her daughter's blue eyes and at her messy brown hair. "She's beautiful," she said to her husband, who was standing next to her, and kissed the baby on the forehead. She handed the baby girl to her husband, who held her in his arms proudly.

"She certainly is, my dear," he said happily to his wife as he looked upon his first-born daughter with a warm smile. He loved the little girl with his whole heart, the little bundle of joy who was his flesh and blood.

"What are we going to name her?" asked the mother curiously, and the father pondered for a moment. Suddenly, he thought of the perfect name. He raised the child into the air, holding her up so that the moonlight from the circular opening above them shone down upon the newborn.

As the moonlight enveloped the baby, he proudly said, "Her name will be…Korra."

**THE END**


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